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GUIDED HUNTING guided trophy hunting - red deer - wapiti - whitetail deer - thar - chamois - wild boar, wild goat & wild sheep New Zealand is a unique place as without exception, the abundant game animals that are to be found here in the wild, were introduced by the first settlers. These introduced game animals now exist without their natural predators, (wolves bears etc.) which in their native home-land, control the population levels within the carrying capacity of the land. The Government of New Zealand encourages hunting as it is now only the hunter who keeps the population of game animals in balance with the environment. We have consent from the Department of Conservation and private land-owners to hunt on their land and our license allows us to operate any where within the South Island and Stewart Island. The hunting that we offer is free range and fair chase and we cater for all levels of ability and experience including instruction for the less experienced. There is a wide choice of game animals both large and small to hunt, and the duration of our hunts are very flexible. We recommend a minimum of six days for large game trophy hunting. Short duration hunting for large game (non trophy) is available by arrangement for shorter periods.
Game:
Large Game: Red Deer, Wapiti, Fallow Deer, Whitetail Deer, Wild Pig, Wild Sheep, Wild Goat, Chamois, Thar. Wild Fowl Hunting when in season - opens 1st Saturday in May, closes mid July. We complete documentation for bringing firearms into New Zealand. We supply all hunting equipment (including firearms if required) and for overnight trips or longer, we supply all camping gear including food. We complete Ministry of Agriculture documentation and prepare and pack trophies to take home.
We recommend that trophy
hunts be a minimum of six days & we cater for all levels of ability
& experience including instruction for the less experience.
Red Deer are spread widely throughout the South Island. They are the most sought-after large game animal in New Zealand, mainly because they are easily accessible.
The most productive time
to hunt Red Deer is during the rut which is the last two weeks of March
and the first two weeks of April. After the rut period, very good hunting
is still available during the autumn (fall) and winter months right through
until the end of September when the stags drop their antlers.
Ten and twelve point heads
are quite common with good heavy timber. As red deer tend to live in forested
areas, the antlers are very dark and well stained.
Wapiti are only found in
Fiordland and this is the only free ranging herd in the southern hemisphere.
Hunting pressure is very
high during the rut period (mid March - mid April) and a ballot is held
to allocate hunting blocks. Applications for the ballot open early November
and close mid January. The ballot is drawn by the end of January giving
successful hunters time to plan their hunt & travel arrangements.
For us to make the necessary
arrangements for a wapiti hunt, we need to have a firm commitment with
a booking and deposit received by early November to lodge an application
in the annual ballot. This we complete at no extra cost.
The best time to hunt wapiti
is the same as red deer.
Price on Application
Location hunted may vary
depending on hunters ability and what they desire. Helicopter transport
cost is approximate & may change as it is related to flight time.
Whitetail are found on Stewart
Island (the most southern island of New Zealand). The rut starts during
the first week of May, peaking about two weeks later. Just prior to and
during the rut, bucks tend to wander far and wide and are less wary than
normal.
Access to Stewart Island:
Price on Application
Location hunted may vary
depending on hunters ability and what they desire. Helicopter and boat
transport cost is approximate and related to travel time.
THAR (Alpine goat from Himalaya) Thar are the most highly sought after trophy in New Zealand as there is an incredible amount of skill required to locate and hunt these top trophy game animals which are found in the alpine area of the Southern Alps. Thar tend to prefer high altitude areas amongst ice and snow and live in large family groups made up of young bulls, nannies and kids. To hunt thar, one must be in good physical condition with top quality footwear, clothing and rifle. The best time to hunt thar is during the winter from the end of May through to September. The first part of this period is the during the rut with bulls joining groups of nannies. Good hunting can be had during the summer months as well. CHAMOIS (Austrian Alpine Antelope) Chamois also live in the alpine areas though at a lower altitude than thar. Chamois and thar are seldom found together with chamois preferring the open grass lands and thar staying close to large steep bluffs where they retreat when sensing danger. The distribution of chamois throughout the South Island is far wider than that of thar and they tend to be more mobile living together in small family groups. Hunting conditions and time for chamois is the same as for thar (May - September) with the winter pelts being very attractive. Chamois hunting is very demanding and physical condition is very important for an enjoyable experience. Access for Thar and Chamois:
Access into the mountains
on the eastern side of the Alps is generally by four wheel drive up large
river beds. It is possible to drive up the valleys for helicopter pick
up and positioned in to the headwaters and hunt back down to the vehicle.
This is usually very productive.
On the West Coast, access is by helicopter with flying time each way between 30 & 50 minutes depending on location and the prevailing weather conditions. Access to the West Coast requires approximately 5hrs driving.
Price on application
Wild boar are found throughout
the South Island in low land habitat.
WILD GOAT
Wild goats are common and
good hunting is available all year round.
WILD SHEEP
Wild sheep are found in limited
numbers in remote areas.
Price on application
For reservations, please visit our enquiry form or our secure booking form |
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For
further information contact :
Fiordland Lodge
472 Te Anau Milford Highway PO Box 196, Te Anau. New Zealand Ph 64 3 249 7832 Fax 64 3 249 7449 email: (Please note that we respond to ALL emails within 48 hours. If you haven't received a response to your email, please contact us again, in case for some reason your email has been blocked by a spam filter - thankyou) |
Guided hunting, fishing, nature walks, hiking, birdwatching and other specialty programmes.
Member New Zealand Lodge Association
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Awarded
"One of the Top Ten Accommodations for 2009", as voted on by New Zealand Travel clients - New Zealand Travel Inc (USA) |