At the time of writing, COVID-19 is cutting a swathe across the globe, whether the virus itself has affected people or not, the economic downturn has caused some colossal financial damages to certain industries. Two groups that have been severely affected are NZ hunting guides and game estates.
For many, the overseas market has completely dried up, and that was a large portion of their year’s turnover – many of my friends have been affected. Now, whatever you think of guided hunting or overseas tourists coming to NZ to hunt, just remember the guides are Kiwis who’ve hunted and come up the same way as any of us. Many of them give back in a variety of ways to the wider community and have been an integral part of our story. We at NZRod&Rifle would like to play our small part to help. The following register lists guides and game estates across the country who could benefit from an increase in local hunters to help them keep their heads above water during this downturn.
Why a Guided Hunt?
I know many of you will be against paying for any kind of hunting, and I totally understand – I’ve never paid for a guided hunt and probably never will; however, this isn’t necessarily aimed at the seasoned hunter. Guided hunts are safe, fun and a great way to learn from very experienced guides. This is perfect for newer hunters still on that steep learning curve to becoming a successful deer stalker and for the meat hunter where the odds are more in their favour. An afternoon with an experienced guide is going to supercharge your learning, enabling you to watch a lot of animals and ask any questions you want – some guided hunts provide rare access to exclusive private properties where the game animal populations are managed for hunting. Trust me, the experience will be a positive one in your journey. Also, families who want that special experience of getting into the hills together and putting organic, free-range, fresh meat on the table would benefit. Some of our more senior hunters could benefit from the quad bikes and ease of access often associated with a guided hunt.
At times of adversity, Kiwis have always stood together; many of you wouldn’t blink at spending thousands on chopper rides and ferries to get hunting – sometimes for nil result … the certainty of a meat hunt and recovering a whole carcass or shooting a management stag must surely be appealing? So why not spend some of the isolation/lockdown time planning a guided hunt or a management hunt? Make some phone calls or emails to a guide and find out what’s on offer – you may be surprised.
Dave Benfell
Editor
North Island
Balnagown Hunting
Set on 300 acres of private property, set 45 mins of Auckland CBD. Fallow Deer hunting amongst mature bush, pine trees, streams, gullies and hills.
Contacts: Richard Ross
a: 40 Haruru Road, Makurau, Auckland
p: 027 444 2057
Fairmead Hunting Lodge
Fairmead is well suited and affordable for NZ hunters. Meat or management fallow buck hunts ideal for young or budding hunters wanting some professional tuition or the more experienced hunter after meat or a wall hanger. Check out our website for details.
Contacts: Richard & Barbara Turner
a: Fairmead, RD 8, Wanganui 4578
p: 06 342 8767
Jeremy Hanarays outdoor adventures
- Free range guided hunting in the Hawkes Bay
- Red, Sika, Fallow deer, wild goats
Jeremy Hanaray, Rivers To Ranges
106 Nelson street Hastings
p: 64 6 878 7177 | m: 64 27 226 7202
South Island
South Pacific Safaris New Zealand
Guided at South Pacific Safaris 1600-hectare block. Hunters are guaranteed a meat animal – either fallow or red.
Accommodation: Luxury accommodation is available if requested at a cost of $300 per night for a super-king-sized bed, bathroom, lounge and laundry.
Contacts: Brent & Louise Harkerss
a: Glencree Road, Kaikoura, New Zealand
p: +64 3 319 5189 | m: +64 274 351 243
Four Seasons Safaris New Zealand
- A Pristine or primitive experience.
- Personally owned private station in Kaikoura, offering trophy hunting with comfortable accommodations with meals provided.
- DOC land hunts also available, for trophy or meat hunts.
- Red Deer, Tahr, Chamois, Fallow, Pigs, Goats, and Rams are our primary animals we can guide you to.
Contact: Shane
m: 0274 399 129
Puhi Peaks Hunting
- Hunt with our experienced and knowledgeable guides on the highest freehold land in New Zealand.
- We offer authentic free-range hunting at Puhi Peaks, home of the family-owned Kaikoura Wilderness Experience. Grab the opportunity to get away from it all in the seaward Kaikoura Ranges.
- Hunt by the day, stay overnight, for the weekend or just come for an evening hunt and experience a taste of true free-range hunting. We offer red deer, Pacific goats, Arapawa sheep and Captain Cooker pigs.
Spey Creek Trophy Hunting
Spey Creek offers both Estate and Free range hunting and we can customize the hunt to suit you. Luxury lodge accommodation available or day hunts can be organised.
Contact: John and Neroli McBride
p: 03 975 0510
NZ Trophy Safaris
We offer free-range guided hunts for red stag, chamois, tahr, wild ram, boar, goat and fallow deer.
Trophy and meat hunts available for single or multi-day trips.
We also offer guided fishing for rainbow and brown trout as well as chinook salmon on the Rakaia River.
Contact: Blair Grice
p: 0800 538 2628 | m: 021 538 386
High Peak Station
New Zealand’s premier game estate encompassing over 2000 hectares of dedicated hunting land located near the Rakaia Gorge, one hour from Christchurch. Superb fair chase hunting for estate managed resident trophy and meat animals under the direction of experienced professional guides. Comfortable lodgings in bush cabin accommodation or our newly renovated Cookshop for groups of up to eight.
Contact: Simon Guild
m: 027 868 2415
Backcountry New Zealand
Hunting & Fly-fishing Guides
- Highly experienced guiding service since 1988. Members of N.Z.P.H.G.A & N.Z.P.F.G.A
- Personally owned private station in the Waimakariri Gorge, offering trophy and meat hunting with comfortable accommodations with meals provided. Day hunts also available.
- Red Deer, Tahr, Fallow, Goats, and Rams hunts available.
- Post lockdown specials will be available, both for trophy and meat hunts.
Contact: Nigel & Myriam
m: 021 644 507
James Cagney's New Zealand Hunting Adventures
- Lake Coleridge – Rakaia Valley – Canterbury
- Free-range operator – no high fences
- Private property
- Meat hunts, management hunts, trophy hunts
- Red deer and tahr
Contacts: James & Debra Cagney
p: 03 318 5049 | m: 027 450 7280
Viking Guides
We offer genuine wilderness tahr and chamois hunts in the heart of the Southern Alps. We cover both the Canterbury High Country as well as the West Coast glacier areas. Using local heli-operator services who fly us safely to our hunting grounds where our foot hunts are carried out from our awesome wilderness tented camps!
Owner and Outfitter: Per Jacobsen
m: 021 154 8385
New Zealand Safaris
High quality free-ranging hunts on private land, based out of Fairlie, South Island
Contact: Jim Gibson – Professional Hunting Outfitter/Guide
m: 027 430 3876
w: www.newzealandsafaris.com
Minaret Station
Minaret Station is a 50,000-acre parcel of wilderness, providing hunters with exclusive access to prime hunting in the Southern Alps, in addition to independent concessions. Minaret Station offers a premium guided trophy hunting experience, with day or overnight options. Trophy animals include Red Stag, Chamois and Tahr.
m: 021 520 437
The New Zealand Adventure Company - Wanaka, NZ
The New Zealand Adventure Company offers a range of exciting big game hunting experiences on both private free-range and game estate land. Red stag, fallow buck, tahr, chamois and meat hunts available. Our guides are highly qualified and experienced in the outdoors and grounds of New Zealand’s South Island. Hunter and guide safety is of the highest priority. Truly New Zealand hunts.
Contact: Jake Berry
Walker Hunts Outfitters
Offering:Professional hunting and fishing servicesCentral Otago / Queenstown LakesContact: Corry walkerm: 027 488 6601sm: walkerhunts247sm: walker hunts
Top of the Lake Guiding
Offering free-range:
- Meat hunts
- Management hunts
- Trophy hunts
Affordable hunting in prime locations for red deer, fallow deer and chamois.
Based out of Queenstown. Call or email us to find out more.
Fly Fishing Guiding also available and part of the NZPHGA & NZPFGA
Contact: Ethan Clark
m: 027 427 5120
Sheldon Lye
Lead guide/proprietor
Southern Hunting Adventures
Tourism | Hunting | Adventure | Hospitality
Otago, South Island
p: 0800 022 569 | m: +64 21 441 235
Wilderness Quest New Zealand
We have a beautiful family-friendly lodge and great hunting for the whole family. Our hunts range from low-elevation rainforest hunts for Red Stags, Fallow and Rams to our wilderness alpine hunts for Tahr and Chamois. The West Coast bush is a great place for stalking wild game and our location on the Haupiri River is stunning! The West Coast wilderness hunt for Tahr and Chamois is a great adventure that few kiwis have experienced. Our packages are inclusive of the helicopter fees to access our camp sites and this an excellent wilderness hunt that is done the right way!
We have hunts available for this year through to the end of August and on short notice!
p: 03 738 0519
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