Helicopters Recommendations - Lake Sumner

Hey Guys,
I've been trying to get my old man down south for a hunt for a wee while. He's a classic cocky and it's a real struggle to get him off the farm. He used to hunt a bit as a younger guy before he took on managing jobs then brought his own farm.

He's always wanted to get a nice mature South island Red and a Tahr. I have the Tahr sorted just about and have managed to get him committed to come down next October for that one. If also managed to get a week commited from the 9th of Feb to try for a the Red or Chamois and am thinking the stags should just about be hard and was thinking of a fly in trip to the tops in the Lake Sumner RHA. We are pretty open to being suggested other areas and I usually hunt all around but the walk in night do him in.

He's 65 and farmer fit but has an ankle that can play up at times and has had to slow down recently so thinking may as well minimise the climb for him so if we have to climb for an animal it's not on top of just getting in.

Would like to at the minimum be able to see animals as the blast trip he did a number of years ago they flew in and saw a nanny Chamois and a kid and a heap of guts piles so thought the RHA might help that.

So I'm looking for recommendations/warnings of someone to fly us in (3 of us) or if anyone thinks another area might be more ideal (send a PM if that suits).

Nelson Tops out of Hanmer.
Either Amuri Helicopters or Alpine Helicopters

Amuri Helicopters if you settle on the Lake Sumner area.

What ^^^ said

If you are heading to Sumner RHA please do some red population control if you get the chance and make sure to let DoC know numbers killed. The RHA is in danger of being aerial culled as numbers are too high.

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Originally Posted by ethos

If you are heading to Sumner RHA please do some red population control if you get the chance and make sure to let DoC know numbers killed. The RHA is in danger of being aerial culled as numbers are too high.

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Right that's May sorted for me...:thumbsup:

Read on stuff earlier , theres a "mega mast season" on the way with extra funding from conservation minister for DOC predator control. Native parakeets/Hurunui area mentioned..

**Not mentioned in article****......but,,,pretty sure there was talk of Lake Sumner area being 1080 poisoned sometime in near future... ??

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Originally Posted by ethos

If you are heading to Sumner RHA please do some red population control if you get the chance and make sure to let DoC know numbers killed. The RHA is in danger of being aerial culled as numbers are too high.

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It needs to be culled no doubt about that and the most efficient way to do it is from the air, personally I hope they do cull it, as long as it's done sensibly it will be for the better


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Originally Posted by 223nut

Right that's May sorted for me...:thumbsup:

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Knowing my luck they will do a cull in march drop the green rain in April and I'll go hunting in may

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Originally Posted by Smiddy

It needs to be culled no doubt about that and the most efficient way to do it is from the air, personally I hope they do cull it, as long as it's done sensibly it will be for the better


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The worry is the precedent it would set, it would pretty much mean the end of the RHA concept. Undoubtedly management of some sort can be a win win but current climate says hunters will not be the winners :(

You'll definitely see deer and lots of people around that time of year the hunting is good but too many people for my liking, last time I flew in there ahaura helicopters was the cheapest but that was a few years ago

Not in the RHA, however anyone know how the Jolliebrook is these days? I used to hunt there 30 odd years ago. Was slim pickings back then however got the odd animal including chamois.

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Originally Posted by kiwiaviator

Not in the RHA, however anyone know how the Jolliebrook is these days? I used to hunt there 30 odd years ago. Was slim pickings back then however got the odd animal including chamois.

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Wasnt hunting it 30 years ago but your description is still fair lf how it seems to be now although seems to be choking up a bit more in terms of scrub these days

I went in there for acouple days several months ago for a look and its still exactly how you describe it. Only seen acouple deer an they were tucked in pretty tight. Wont be hurrying back in there thats for sure

Jolliebrook usually holds a few animals but theres better places to spend your time in that neck of the woods. It gets a hammering from the locals looking for an easy deer in the evenings and there is a certain pig hunter from Waiau who puts his dogs through it every other weekend