Basic deer hunting info

New to the page but a well traveled hunter. I'm Canadian from Alberta who's hunted most of our big game with a bow but I dont have the first clue of what to expect with hunting the roar here in nz. I have plans to head to the southern alps in March to try and find a nice red with my bow. I Dont know where to go, what kind of weather to expect, deer behavior or stag hunting dos and dont's. I'm an experienced outdoorsman but survival tips from locals and any other information or would be greatly appreciated.

Jump on the department of conservation website, has quite a lot of info you want. As to weather plan for terrible and if you don't get it your lucky. March is the start of Autumn here and some times March is nice and settled other times it can get wet and miserable. You also won't be the only one in the alps. Several hundred hunters descend upon the alps every March and April. Take note of the ballot system for some areas. Leave trip intentions with someone local if you can. Hire or buy a PLB and have fun..

Welcome @Dainer
You are going to need good fitness! Good boots! Also recommended a PLB.
Don’t take the rivers for granted, in flood there a real killer and it just takes a bit of rain for that to happen.
Cheers and enjoy.

Where are you intending to be in the Southern Alps? I will be out there somewhere as well.

Thanks for all the advice. Not sure where I'll be really, i gotta bow only so I'm not getting my Hope's up of getting within 50 meters of a world class stag so I'm more so looking for a larger quantity of decent stags rather than a couple huge boys.

Have you considered bow hunting in the North Island? I say this because, overall, I usually see more good red stags per day in certain N Island location than I do in the south.

Whilst this is an instinctive kind of response, I did “fact check” it with a mate who hunts the S Island public land much more than I do (I generally go down there twice a year, just after the Roar when everyone has gone home, and in late winter, early spring). His view was that good public land stags are increasingly hard to find unless you chopper in or are prepared to do a full on 2-3 week hike in, hike out.

Others here will be sure to disagree, all good. But I can think of two areas in the north that, if I were asked to make a recommendation to Canadian bow hunting relatives of mine, I’d nominate ahead of the S Island any day.

Just food for thought. If you’re set on the South, no worries.

Carry a PLB!

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

Have you considered bow hunting in the North Island? I say this because, overall, I usually see more good red stags per day in certain N Island location than I do in the south.

Whilst this is an instinctive kind of response, I did “fact check” it with a mate who hunts the S Island public land much more than I do (I generally go down there twice a year, just after the Roar when everyone has gone home, and in late winter, early spring). His view was that good public land stags are increasingly hard to find unless you chopper in or are prepared to do a full on 2-3 week hike in, hike out.

Others here will be sure to disagree, all good. But I can think of two areas in the north that, if I were asked to make a recommendation to Canadian bow hunting relatives of mine, I’d nominate ahead of the S Island any day.

Just food for thought. If you’re set on the South, no worries.

Carry a PLB!

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True! I'm living in Auckland currently. I'm new to the page but could you PM me some details?

Yeap north island. Theres no deer in the South Island

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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

Yeap north island. Theres no deer in the South Island

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Toooo many "gun" hunters.

What Flyblown said, plenty of opportunities for a bow in the North Island. Reds, Fallow, Sika etc.

Ok I'll disagree with flyblown on this one.

You're unlikely to get a nice red on your first trip down south.

But you will get great scenery and mountains that just arent there in the north. It's well worth going even if deer prospects are fewer. At a rough guess from my experience red deer densities are 4x higher in the north island. Just better climate and ecosystem productivity.

I'd suggest a training trip or two if you're in auckland. Walk in to the main range of the tararuas like a southern crossing or up to dundas hut ( good preparation for the SI west coast) then a visit preferably crossing the range in the rimutakas like over south saddle or boulder ck (not the papatahi track) as that's the only place in the north island at all like the SI east coast. Both these will be easier country than the main Southern Alps. Easier country down south is the Lewis Pass.

When you say you are looking for large quantities of decent stags, are you hoping to shoot large quantities or just view with the hopes of seeing animals and taking one or two?

He's Canadian and a bowhunter, you can assume that's what he meant. No ones going to shoot all your deer.

Not my deer mate. Just wanted to understand what he meant. I only asked a question and I don't assume to know what anyone thinks.

check out DVDs by the Graf boys on hunting reds...they have some great footage roaring up stags pretty darn undie staining close and the scene when Dad has a moment or 6 with bow will be priceless for you. as for north or south....its different country to be sure. probably better chance up north UNLESS you can fluke a haast balot block etc.

The oldest advice around - read Saxton and whatsit - someone help me out here

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Originally Posted by 308

The oldest advice around - read Saxton and whatsit - someone help me out here

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Lentle and Saxton

Thanks for all the replies! For sure making me rethink and do some research. And no I'm not planning on killing all the deer, I just want 1 decent one and figure my odds are better with higher quantities of animals. The guy I live with found some old Graft boys videos, stoked to have a look! Cheers.

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Originally Posted by Cigar

Lentle and Saxton

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Red Deer in New Zealand

https://www.mcleodsbooks.co.nz/p/hun...ting-manual--5

Mandatory reading. It is found in many regional libraries in New Zealand. Every time I take it out of our local library the librarian asks me the same thing, are you sure you want to take this book out again?

Roger Lentle is one hell of an interesting guy. We went to a talk of his in the early noughties at Massey on the North Shore. It was so interesting I can’t even remember what it was about.

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Originally Posted by Dainer

Thanks for all the replies! For sure making me rethink and do some research. And no I'm not planning on killing all the deer, I just want 1 decent one and figure my odds are better with higher quantities of animals. The guy I live with found some old Graft boys videos, stoked to have a look! Cheers.

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South Island have better quality reds. In the North Island you can shoot 6-8pt scrubbers all day long, our bush is very dense and most stags you'll encounter very close if you're bush hunting, walk far away from any car park and camp at least 3 hours walk and base yourself from there and you shouldn't run into too many hunters. In my experience high numbers= more likely to see younger animals. You could do 2 roars trips, one for reds down south(late march-mid april depending on area) and another for Sika in the central North Island(mid April into May). Don't get your hopes up on getting a good stag though, 1000's of us try every year and it's not very often you get a real nice stag unless you know someone with a private block that doesn't get hunted too often. Cheers.

@Dainer here ya go this will get the heart thumping :thumbsup:
https://vimeo.com/281533588/026385b1fb

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Originally Posted by Cigar

Lentle and Saxton

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Thank you

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Originally Posted by kiwigreen

South Island have better quality reds. In the North Island you can shoot 6-8pt scrubbers all day long, our bush is very dense and most stags you'll encounter very close if you're bush hunting, walk far away from any car park and camp at least 3 hours walk and base yourself from there and you shouldn't run into too many hunters. In my experience high numbers= more likely to see younger animals. You could do 2 roars trips, one for reds down south(late march-mid april depending on area) and another for Sika in the central North Island(mid April into May). Don't get your hopes up on getting a good stag though, 1000's of us try every year and it's not very often you get a real nice stag unless you know someone with a private block that doesn't get hunted too often. Cheers.

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Agreed!
As a fellow Canadian transplant and bow hunter, welcome! Stoked to have you around! I’m from Alberta also[emoji108]
SI alps are comparable to the east slopes back home. Not quite the Rogers pass or kootenays but still big wild country! Take it seriously. Great stalking country for sure!

The north island places I have been (kaimanawas, Kawekas, kaimais) are very dense bush....although there are areas in the kaweka ranges that are a bit more open... shooting lanes for arrows can be incredibly tricky. Heaps of deer around but be prepared to have them walk by at 40 yards and never get a glimpse of them! I’ve found success sitting on slips (read mudslides) and creeping in close by using the edges for cover... I use satellite views on google maps to identify slips.... perhaps some lads on here might know of some more open terrain on the North island?
Also, practice longer shots. The traditional whitetail at 15 yards out of a tree stand isn’t to be found here. Prepare yourself to shoot out to 60yards on the slips. My rule is practice at double what you hunt. After regularly shooting at 120, I find 60 is a slam dunk. Any further than that though and an animal can just step out of the way or might get maimed.
Southern kaimanawas apparently have some good areas (desert road anyone care to comment?) for more open glassing/spot and stalk hunting like we do a lot back home for mule deer..... haven’t checked it out for myself yet, I’m hoping to get there later this year.

So my humble thoughts, if you live in Auckland, definitely go see the South Island if you can, it’s well worth it even if you don’t get many opportunities on animals.
You should have plenty of opportunities on the north island, just that it can be a bit frustrating in dense bush as you watch the groceries walk away with supplejack and fern fronds covering their vitals... hence I bought a rifle last week[emoji6]
How long are you here for? Business or tourism?
Good luck and happy hunting mate!


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My bro-in-law has been living in Calgary for a number of years so I'd be happy to help an Albertan out (I've been twice but not hunting). Sing out if you need a hand with a place to stay/gear (Nth Canty)...I'm not a great hunter LOL but there are heaps on here that give good advice.

Yeah thanks for that! I've come to the conclusion that I'm gonna stay in the north island for the reds and the fallow roar, then head south and chase the tahr and shamoi in the south island! Get a bit of both worlds!

march april for the roar......first weekend in May is D DAY if you like swinging a shotgun at waterfowl it could be worth staying a while longer..with minimal effort over a week we got my Swedish mate black swan,canada goose,grey goose,parrie duck,mallard duck,pukeko,and a lovely specimin male spoonie/shoveler duck.

Also give the Sika deer a go in central north island if you want a real challenge !

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Originally Posted by The bomb

Also give the Sika deer a go in central north island if you want a real challenge !

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Agreed, Sika is definitely the most fun bush stalking. Silly buggers make a heap of sound when you spook them.

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Originally Posted by Bagheera

Ok I'll disagree with flyblown on this one.

You're unlikely to get a nice red on your first trip down south.

But you will get great scenery and mountains that just arent there in the north. It's well worth going even if deer prospects are fewer. At a rough guess from my experience red deer densities are 4x higher in the north island. Just better climate and ecosystem productivity.

I'd suggest a training trip or two if you're in auckland. Walk in to the main range of the tararuas like a southern crossing or up to dundas hut ( good preparation for the SI west coast) then a visit preferably crossing the range in the rimutakas like over south saddle or boulder ck (not the papatahi track) as that's the only place in the north island at all like the SI east coast. Both these will be easier country than the main Southern Alps. Easier country down south is the Lewis Pass.

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OK I'll disagree with Bagheera. Coming from Canada I really doubt the SI scenery is much different. I sentence @Dainer to two full weeks in the Kaimai's :D