Any locals willing take a couple guys hunting?

My brother and I are on the South Island from the United States for a couple weeks. Flying through Australia made it difficult to get permits, licenses, and clearances for our rifles, so we elected to bring our bows. We’ve been up through Doubtless Hut in Lewis Pass, Wairau Valley near Nelson, and a couple forests outside of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier, tramping in at times up to 15-20km one direction. Even attempted for feral goats near Pelarus and Okiwi Bay in Marlborough, but had no success spotting any. Really would love to hear a stag roar on our trip (we are aware it may be getting late for that), or even just a chance to lay eyes on one. Killing isn’t our main goal, just the enjoyment of the pursuit. But it’s been tough going out and not seeing evidence of a single animal, save for tracks or droppings. We know we could just pay a fee and get into the same pen as a deer, but that idea to us is ceremoniously revolting and devoid of gritty sportsmanship. We’re both in great shape willing to shoulder a 16kg or so pack all day. Just was curious if any kind stranger would be generously willing to aid our search or allow us to tag along in theirs. We’ve got energy, willing to travel, it’s just our creativity is running low!

Where are you now? You boys sound pretty decent so I'm sure you will get an offer from some of the locals if theres someone in your neck of the woods.

How long are you guys in NZ? - Im busy working until about 29th, but will have a few days to spare before duckshooting and keen for a hunt, Central South Island

Could possibly sort something out, pm me your dates and plans

Id offer but have spent the last 3 weekends away from family and the next two are booked with birthdays etc

Are you coming my way at all?

What is your itinerary?

Our flights leave Christchurch early on the 29th, but our plans are wide open and completely adjustable until then. Right now we’re in Canterbury near Geraldine, but mobility is no issue. We’ve got a car so we can get anywhere within the amount of time the speed limit allows!

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Originally Posted by hikeandhunt

Our flights leave Christchurch early on the 29th, but our plans are wide open and completely adjustable until then. Right now we’re in Canterbury near Geraldine, but mobility is no issue. We’ve got a car so we can get anywhere within the amount of time the speed limit allows!

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Hey it sounds like you guys have the right attitude and are mobile so I am sure someone on here will put you onto some free range animals....bow hunting anything is a big ask tho and maybe you may end up using a locals rifle under supervision.


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Bugger, I finish up on the 29th. You are in the right place, pretty much at the right time, so it should all come together.

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Hey it sounds like you guys have the right attitude and are mobile so I am sure someone on here will put you onto some free range animals....bow hunting anything is a big ask tho and maybe you may end up using a locals rifle under supervision.


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maybe someone from down there could help with tahr hunt maybe ?

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Originally Posted by mikee

maybe someone from down there could help with tahr hunt maybe ?

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A few forum members handles came to mind but I thought it a bit cheeky to tag them in ;)

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

A few forum members handles came to mind but I thought it a bit cheeky to tag them in ;)

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Same here

Where you guys from in the states? What do you hunt there?
Do you have a few pics? If so would love to see them. I’m sure someone here will help you out and if they head your way latter I’m sure you would reciprocate :)

Hello Boys. I'm doing a fly in trip with another forumite and a cobber going in on Thurs 20th out 25th or 26th from near Geraldine. You are welcome to join us as there is plenty of country as well as room in the hut, we'll see Tahr and probably Red Deer, possibly Chamois. You'l have to pay for your own lift in the chopper and food but otherwise we'll look after you. I've pm'd you my contact details. Cheers Foster

There ya go boyz how’s that for a welcome :thumbsup:
Nice one @Tentman

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Originally Posted by Sideshow

Where you guys from in the states? What do you hunt there?
Do you have a few pics? If so would love to see them. I’m sure someone here will help you out and if they head your way latter I’m sure you would reciprocate :)

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We’re from New Hampshire in the far northeast. I hunt wild turkeys and whitetail deer there almost exclusively on public accessible lands. The turkeys are the most opportunistic as they are in good numbers and are highly responsive to calling in the month of May. Whitetails are in poor numbers and are best hunted from treestands, as they’re extremely skittish in our dense forests while remaining almost completely silent. There are decent numbers of black bears about 3 hours north of where I live, but I’ve never hunted them as baiting is the recommended method which requires a thorough permitting system and a steady supply of replenishment. We also have a ballot system for moose, but due to severely declining numbers resulting from a disease called brainworm as well as insects called ticks we’re down to 51 permits total issued yearly among an average of over 13,000 applicants annually. A couple times over the past 3 years I’ve made the 5,000km or so trip west for the September wapiti bugle in the Rocky Mountain region. It’s an extremely tough do-it-yourself hunt due to competition from fair amounts of other hunters as well as natural predators like wolves and mountain lions, not to mention the steep terrain. I’ve been fortunate to have taken 1 bull with a bow in 3 hunts spanning a total of 5 weeks. We’re allowed 1 turkey each May season and they’re relatively easy, and I’ve taken several whitetails with both a rifle and bow. The really good hunting is likely best found elsewhere, such as the Midwest for whitetails. Some areas of the US can have great public land access like NZ, but they don’t always produce game. A strong majority of the best hunting is on privately owned property or found among the many ballotted areas.

Do you call the whitetail in? Also what are the heads like and body size in your area.
Shame about the Moose.:( you could have a go looking for ours.........last seen in 52:XD:

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Originally Posted by Sideshow

Do you call the whitetail in? Also what are the heads like and body size in your area.
Shame about the Moose.:( you could have a go looking for ours.........last seen in 52:XD:

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Generally speaking whitetails are not responsive to calling, but right around their peak rutting (breeding) action they can be enticed into closer distance with buck grunts, doe bleats, or the sound of antlers clashing in a flight. Most people hunt using treestands or ground blinds in the areas where deer are active just before going to bed in the morning, and the areas they come out and feed in during the evening.
As far as sizes go, where I live mature bucks are very difficult to find as folks pretty much shoot the first legal deer they see. Most of the annual kill is made up of 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year old bucks along with some does. A mature buck can weigh up to 200lbs (90kg) field dressed, while the typical 2-1/2 year old is around 140-160lbs (65-75kg). The genetics for antler size is great quality, but most bucks aren’t given the chance to grow to 4.5-5.5+ years old. Whenever an older buck does slip through several years of hunting pressure, on occasion he can turn out to be something truly remarkable. A good buck scores 130 SCI or so (we use the Boone & Crockett scale) and a true giant would be 150+.

shame you aren't in the north island , could have helped you out.
Good luck with the search you guys have a bloody good attitude , im sure someone will be around in no time to help you out

Wow, the positive feedback here has been wonderfully refreshing. It almost makes my trip to experience the goodwill, kindness, and support from fellow sportsmen in their own habitat. We’ve been up past Lake Pukaki in the Mt. Cook area for the last 2 days. Hiked in a few kilometers up a slip before taking a minute to pull out binoculars and have a look up the valley slopes. My brother caught some movement up high so I quickly got some glass focused in his direction and sure enough a trophy-sized bull tahr was about 1 kilometer almost straight up above us. As I watched for several minutes, 1 other bull and 3 nannies joined him in the open just above the snow line. Very exciting to see that there indeed does exist wildlife down here! Darkness that evening and then the rain, snow, and 70-80km winds we were in up in the valley today have kept us from making the 4 or 5 hour climb up.

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Originally Posted by hikeandhunt

Wow, the positive feedback here has been wonderfully refreshing. It almost makes my trip to experience the goodwill, kindness, and support from fellow sportsmen in their own habitat. We’ve been up past Lake Pukaki in the Mt. Cook area for the last 2 days. Hiked in a few kilometers up a slip before taking a minute to pull out binoculars and have a look up the valley slopes. My brother caught some movement up high so I quickly got some glass focused in his direction and sure enough a trophy-sized bull tahr was about 1 kilometer almost straight up above us. As I watched for several minutes, 1 other bull and 3 nannies joined him in the open just above the snow line. Very exciting to see that there indeed does exist wildlife down here! Darkness that evening and then the rain, snow, and 70-80km winds we were in up in the valley today have kept us from making the 4 or 5 hour climb up.

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Did you see Tentmans post/receive his PM?

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Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Did you see Tentmans post/receive his PM?

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Can’t use pm function until you’ve made a certain number of posts?

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Originally Posted by MSL

Can’t use pm function until you’ve made a certain number of posts?

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Oh maybe.

is your 29th departure a definite date or could you wangle a further week in CHCH.??just thaty if you buggers do i may be able to sort out a day trip on wildfowl if youre interested

Unfortunately, the 29th was a definite, and we find ourselves this early morning back on US soil. Responsibilities beckon ��. But who knows, with the variety of game available, plenty of helpful locals, and motivation remaining perhaps I’ll find myself back down in NZ for another roar in the future. Thank you to all who responded, and I wish I could somehow return the favor!