Thread: Which Island/Regions have it best for Public Land meat hunting?

Is there any database to the public, perhaps from DOC, that predicts the number of game mammals on Public land?

If you hunt (or fish for that matter) to survive the most important factor I would say is having plenty of target species to shoot.

I see a lot of big bucks come out of the South Island, usually private farmed hunts, more so than the North Island. Is this just coiincidence or does the South Island have it better for Public Land game numbers?

Ive always wanted to try the tops of Marlborough/Tasman region heading southward. Not because it has a lot of deer, but it looks like a beautiful place based on what I have seen. Otago and Canterbury seem like a dream to hunt compared to the bush in the North Island covered in enjoyable supplejack :-). But I wonder, how much of the public land holds enough deer to keep hunters fed year round? Does Otago only look good in the high country due to private land hunts, or are the numbers there for meat hunters on public land?

It always seems there is nowhere perfect in NZ for hunting and fishing but each region has something perfect on offer. Even Auckland with its large number of Snapper, Wellington with its Paua and Crays (not to mention plentiful under rated butter fish). Northland holds lots of epic fish.

Just as we are getting older the Mrs and I debate where we should make camp (move to). Im pretty keen on the top of the South. It doesnt hold the fishing Auckland Northland does, but its improving, Paua look accessible and maybe the deer arent in huge numbers but the open grassy highlands a bit further south are just a drive away.

Has anybody else contemplated this and has anybody else ever tried to figure out which regions (not asking for spot x here haha) have the best numbers of deer to fill the freezer?

Cheers all.