Recommended Outfitter

Hi,

I live in San Diego, and would like to come out there and hunt for red stag with a friend of mine. My friend has been researching outfitters/guides, and has found a few he thinks are decent, but it's hard to tell objectively without experienced input.

Can anyone recommend an outfit that has a decent reputation, and may be reasonable price-wise?

We'd like to do a public land hunt after that at some point, but would learn more about it while there doing the guided thing. We're more interested in meat quality than trophies, and have been told that the early pre-rut season in best for that objective.
So we're thinking mid-Feb to early March of 2024.

We're planning on doing bow for a few days, and then rifle if we're not able to get close. We'd bring bolt-action, as I understand semi-auto is not legal.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks,
Dave

I have a few contacts in that field.
Contact me via PM and I'll give you some details.
There doesn't appear to be a PM function available for you as yet. I presume once you have a few posts up that will become available.
Bringing a rifle to NZ is a hassle now.
Outfitters or their guides will supply suitable rifles for clients.

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Originally Posted by SanDiegoHntr

Hi,

I live in San Diego, and would like to come out there and hunt for red stag with a friend of mine. My friend has been researching outfitters/guides, and has found a few he thinks are decent, but it's hard to tell objectively without experienced input.

Can anyone recommend an outfit that has a decent reputation, and may be reasonable price-wise?

We'd like to do a public land hunt after that at some point, but would learn more about it while there doing the guided thing. We're more interested in meat quality than trophies, and have been told that the early pre-rut season in best for that objective.
So we're thinking mid-Feb to early March of 2024.

We're planning on doing bow for a few days, and then rifle if we're not able to get close. We'd bring bolt-action, as I understand semi-auto is not legal.

Any feedback is appreciated!

Thanks,
Dave

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Slightly confusing what your after mate. Long way to come for meat you probably can’t take home? Best to just shoot hinds if that was truly the case.

In terms of stags, simply do you want to shoot one behind a deer fence or actually wild? I would hazard a guess that 90% of overseas hunters coming for a guided hunt here for red stag will shoot one behind wire, just the way it is. If you want an actual wild stag the size will be considerably smaller, possibly cost more and your chances of success will reduce. You need to be very clear to the outfitter what you expect.

Dave, be very careful if you are after a free range red stag. Most red stag hunts in NZ are pen raised stags released into a high wire area pre season or even on the day of the hunt. If that is what you want then most outfitters will be fine. I have been in the business of free range hunting guiding since the mid nineties and its a tough game to consistently provide good trophies for clients but with the right contacts on private land and plenty of time scouting it is achievable most of the time. There is not great money in it for a free range guide like myself but passion and possibly obsession with truly real hunting has kept me at it.

I reckon ol Joseph Peter @ Hardyards looks pretty legit & will get you into some proper public lands animals.

https://hardyardshunting.co.nz/

Cheers

if your after meat and not trophy..eg yo uwant the experience in itself.....from now through till febuary?? is much better time..you want a meat hunt using bow..so no trophy fee,small cull stag or hinds.... plenty out there to pick from anything from $50-700 per animal and some guiding fee on top of that... ngamatea comes to mind they have reds and sika guides and lodge accomidation.

If you are just keen on hunting some meat animals. These guys look pretty good.

https://www.glencree.co.nz/experiences

Nice part of the country too [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

I'm often asked by American hunters the same question, I always give them several options and for some reason they all choose Gary Herbert Safaris as their no 1 choice.

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Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

I'm often asked by American hunters the same question, I always give them several options and for some reason they all choose Gary Herbert Safaris as their no 1 choice.

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hes not that dodgy character with an unregistered or warranted terrano is he???? heard that fella was a good guide n hunter but a bit hard of hearing and very hard to get a hold of???

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hes not that dodgy character with an unregistered or warranted terrano is he???? heard that fella was a good guide n hunter but a bit hard of hearing and very hard to get a hold of???

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Haha you're a funny man mr duck.

@7mmwsm - Yep, I'm not able to PM yet. You are welcome to PM me...
@PerazziSC3 - I know many of the outfits are high-fence; that's not what I'm looking for. I consider low-fence (I'm assuming it's the same there) to be fair-chase, as the animals can move from zone to zone. We have found a few low-fence outfits.
As far as bringing back meat, each person can bring back 50lbs. If my wife comes out to join me after the hunt, we can bring back a total of 100lbs. I'm hoping I can donate the rest, assuming I get an animal.
BTW, not looking for a meat hunt, just don't need a trophy. If you saw the size of deer in my county, you'd laugh. �� I'm an amateur chef, which is why Feb-March makes most sense, according to NZ sources.
@Puddleduk - You just described what my buddy and I do here. In the U.S. there's lots of great hunting. I live in San Diego, which probably has some of the worst hunting (for game other than pigs and doves) in the U.S. Although, we do have world-class deep
sea fishing, which I've been doing for many years. My buddy and I are more motivated than most, and will spend many many days scouting. I have yet to harvest, although admittedly, I'm an adult-onset hunter, meaning my family never hunted, and I
got into it 10 yrs ago. It's a difficult thing to get into when you have no contacts or family in the industry, because no one wants to take you to their known spots. I've done archery elk in Montana, which has some of the best animals I've ever seen. It
was public land, and we didn't get an animal, but we tracked, and got close to several, which is what it's about for me. I can't PM yet, so you're welcome to PM me. I'd love some insight on how to do Public in NZ. We would prefer to do that, but the
learning curve from here is pretty steep, unless you have friend's/family over there.
@HarryMax - Thanks for the link, I will check it out.
@Micky Duck - I was getting the impression from some NZ outfitters that the early season for reds was Feb to March, and that they could not be hunted right now. Am I missing something?
BTW, you said you thought the pricing was around $50-700 per animal (plus guide, etc.) We've looked at about 15 outfitters, and they are all about $6,000 to $8,000 per hunter, with usually some kind out discount for a 2 x 1 hunt.
It does include a lot of other things, like lodging, food, and other things, so I'm guessing that's about the going rate. That rate average is NOT for a trophy size buck.
@kukuwai - Thanks for the link; I will check it out.
@SmokeyJason - That is one of the places recommended by someone on the "LongRangeHunting" forum to which I'm a member. Their prices are kind of high; a bit more than we want to spend, but thanks for the info.


If we come out, most likely both our wives would fly out towards the end of our hunt, and we'd rent a car to do a bit of exploring around your country.
Several ppl, including 7mmwsm have said it's difficult to bring a rifle over. I know there's a few months delay, but what about the process might make me rethink it? I'd rather use my own than rent one.

Thanks for all the input. I appreciate you taking the time to help a (not sure what you call us in slang...yank?)
Dave

I do some guiding for an Outfitter in the central south island. It's pretty common for US clients to take meat back with them, this is no trouble at all. Just freeze it here and pack into a cooler and check it in as luggage for your flight back. Early season stages are good eating and will be in great condition too.
@SanDiegoHntr the prices you mentioned should get you a great stag. Most people in the forum are recreational hunters that have never used an Outfitter for hunting in NZ. The industry is a very tight group with only a very small number of them targeting NZ-based hunters and therefore many hunters here aren't too keen on the Outfitters as they secure access leases from landowners etc and can prevent some access to local hunters. Some of these lease agreements prevent access to Public Land through the property. Therefore, the Outfitter will hunt the Public Land there too as there are likely to be good animals there with the reduction of hunting pressure.

There is a belief by many NZ hunters that most Red Stag hunts by Outfitters are High Fence hunts in small areas. This is certainly not the case as any of the outfitters can offer Free Range and Fair Chase stags. Once you start getting into the really big stags, the smaller the property will be given the costs associated with the stag. Even on a fenced 1500-acre property, depending on the terrain and vegetation, hunting certainly isn't as easy as some think, especially with a bow. It's very likely that there will be truly wild stags on the property too.

You will just need to decide if you want to ensure you get a stag in the timeframe you are here or possibly go home empty-handed, this is one of the key differences in using a suitable outfitter or not. Again, this would be dependent on how long you want to be here.

Consider these guys ...

www.mountainhunters.co.nz

@Uplandstalker - Great post. I guessed that most on this forum have not used an outfitter. I've never used one either. I don't have deep pockets as many that use outfitters, but can afford to spend a modest amount per year on hunting.
For me, it's about value. Even if money was no object, I would still rather do a self-guided hunt, animal down or not. I'm more about the experience, than the grip-and-grin. In the states, airfare is not terrible, and since I retired kind of
young (auto industry - service NOT sales) I can spend time scouting wherever I like, as long as I'm comfortable with the amount I spend on lodging, food, etc. Going to your country, where airfare averages $1,500 per person around the
Feb time frame, is much more costly for scouting. If I had a friend or hunting buddy over there, who was familiar with the geography, demographics, regulations, I would gladly spend the $1,500 plus expenses every couple of years for a
self-guided (hopefully with a hunting buddy) experience.
A few years ago I met a guy on the LongRangeHunting forum (which is great if u need info about anything technical) who lived in Montana and was looking for a hunting buddy for archery elk. I ended up flying up there, having never
spoken or met with him, and had the best 3 week hunt I'd ever had. I got a bear tag as well. We didn't get anything, but got close. It was the most fun thing I've ever done.
Man, it's frustrating not being able to space lines or indent. It makes reading these posts like a block of contiguous text...
Long story short, I would gladly stay longer if I knew someone over there personally. They'd sure have confidence I wouldn't poach their spots, lol.
This would be the first time paying for an outfitter anywhere, and would hopefully lead to meeting some cool ppl while learning a new language. Just KIDDING (about the language prod.)

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Originally Posted by Maxx

Consider these guys ...

www.mountainhunters.co.nz

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Any kind of references, or perspective on why you recommend them?

@Uplandstalker - Forgot to say that I guessed most forum members don't use an outfitter; I was hoping I'd get lucky that someone has insight from a friend/relative/co-worker into the inner workings of the industry.

Pm send

This cphone won't let me pm. Are you on hunt talk?

what Im refering to is known as a management or meat hunt.... your NOT targeting the trophy animals,but helping to cull the unwanted males or surplus females..... definately a few options to do so..... outside of the rut/roar you are not tyeing up a guide who is busy..but your providing out of season income..... there are places where deer numbers are very high and the yare allowing access for a fee to cull numbers... but through a guide would be better as guaranteed opertunity to harvest animal. ngamatea advertises it ...here it is...$850 per day includes guide and gear for two people plus $200 per animal harvested,no bangs no bucks...

so two days = $1700 plus an animal each =200x2 and your looking at $2100 by my maths

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

so two days = $1700 plus an animal each =200x2 and your looking at $2100 by my maths

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I have had the good fortune of enjoying ngamatea when I was involved with some filming of hunting for sika .
I have lived and worked all around ngamatea for 30 yrs and was still blown away buy the place.
They manage it extremely well with plenty of animals on the hoof.
True free range hunting with great guides(Russel) and totally great accomadation with all the necessities.
I have never paid to go hunting but got a mate that's coming over and wanting me to organize a roar hunt so will be trying to get a hut out the back of Ngamatea and I will tag along as spotter and gutter!
Put it this way, for $850 aday between 4 of you and two deer each it works out to be pretty good value for money I reckon.

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

You may be able to find someone on here that will take you back country for a few days and not worry about an outfitter...

Most of those prices around $8000USD are a full 7 day hunt. If you after cull/meat animals you will be able to get alot cheaper if you ask for a couple of days hunting rather the full week.

Here in another option for you to check out if you go with an outfitter.

https://www.newzealandfreerangehunting.com/

I’ve just returned to Canada 6 wks now from hunting trip to the South Island of NZ and here’s why I’d go with Mickey Duck’s idea, when bringing a firearm into NZ you need a licensed New Zealand citizen as a guarantor on the application not just to say your a good person but to store your firearms in their lockup when your not afield this is their main concern, I’d recommend using a individual guide or outfitter the first time you won’t need a NZ firearms license and while there meet like minded Kiwis who could be your future guarantor’s and hunting Mate’s !

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Originally Posted by SanDiegoHntr

Any kind of references, or perspective on why you recommend them?

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They get good reviews, and I know the principal ( and his father before him).

. @SmokeyJason - I'm not on Hunt Talk, but probably should have joined a while ago. I'm on LongRangeHunting, which a great forum with many cool members willing to help, and some of the sharpest ppl I've met online. I met a guy on there from Montana,
and ended up flying up there for 3 weeks to go elk hunting with him. Sooooo many quality animals up there. I emailed the admin through the Contact page a few days ago, but have not heard back. I just sent what I hope is a direct email, and
will see what shakes loose. I'll let you know when that happens.
. @Micky Duck - Holy crap that's a great idea, and a great deal. Kinda solves a bunch of logistics. Are you aware if there's a set time frame that the state mandates for management-type hunts, or is it up to the property owner to determine sustainability levels?
No worries if you're not sure, I'm going to email them either way.
. @andyanimal31 - It looks like a beautiful area (Ngamatea). If you have any more details about the logistics from research for your upcoming hunt, I would appreciate the insight.
. @Billbob - I'd be more that up for a hunt with someone from the forum. The issue being they don't know me, and likewise. If only there was a local NZHS pub... I'll buy anyone a beer that wants one if I'm over next Feb.
I looked at that outfitter, and they do offer "management" hunts, so thanks for the link.
. @moosemeat - That's something I'm open to, and hopefully can make happen.

ngamatea it a HUGE working station with a large staff .... lovely bit of countryside and has good number of animals...really good numbers,Ive seen photos and videos taken from vechiles on the farm..... hopefully it works for you...an email to them will tell you what you need to know.

I'm northisland based and have done 2 southisland guided hunts. So based on the idea that I don't have much local knowledge and was time poor to actually go and gain the info needed for successful hunts I used a local guide.

I used these guy's
https://trophyhunting.co.nz/
They do the full range from walk in DOC (Public Land), to fly in DOC land, to free range game on private land (no high fences) all the way through to those ugly super gold stags behind high fences. They also do day hunts for wallaby or evening rabbit hunts etc.
Personally I did a fly in doc land and a private land free range hunt with them.
Z

@ZQLewis - How did you do?

Check out this guys, they should be able to set you up.

Fair Chase Hunting at Ohinerata, A Real Kiwi Experience

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Originally Posted by SanDiegoHntr

@ZQLewis - How did you do?

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first trip I got a representative Tahr with the great coat with blond tips i wanted, it was mid spring and the weather was crap so left the west coast side and spent the next couple of days on a large Otago sheep & beef station, nailed a few pigs for free. saw some reds and fallow but did not get a shot away on them.

Second trip was Lake Hawea area. Son got a nice representative 12 pointer. ( little narrow so probably a cull stage), I spent some time deciding between a nice wide 12 pointer and a heavy 14 pointer. Spent a day working up the valley and spotted those 2. once I decided which one we went back the next day and found him.
ZAttachment 229024

FYI, just got PM ability.

So if anyone has some info they'd like to share...send it!

Thanks!

Hows progress, have you made contact with anyone just yet.

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Originally Posted by ZQLewis

Hows progress, have you made contact with anyone just yet.

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I'm in contact with someone from Poronui, and at Ngamatea. I've emailed Ohinerata, but not heard back after a week.
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Doing the private thing out there with no friends/relatives would require quite a bit of planning, and I'm not sure how the rifle situation would work since I would need to provide a contact over there who has a license, and the ability to store my gear.
I could do a bow hunt, but without scouting ability (unless I stayed for a month) it's a difficult proposition.
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I'm (we're) thinking of doing an outfitter the first time, and maybe meet some locals who would be good contacts in the future for the next occasion.
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BTW, I've found that not all outfitters allow meat to be taken back. I know it's legal to take back up to 50lbs per person, but some outfitters state that meat cannot be taken from their place, while others allow it.
Any idea what the difference is? I'm guessing maybe a special permit is needed by the outfitter, and some don't have it...
.
Also, how does the "Trophy Fee" work? It seems all the outfitters charge a range of fees just for the animal, depending on its size. Is this a state thing? It's not a big deal, just wondering...

There's no limits over here on numbers/sizes/sexes of deer permitted to be taken, as they are all introduced animals and some consider 'pests'. So any limits/restrictions are just those dreamt up by the owners of the property. If you are on Public land, and have a hunting permit (available free from the administrator of the land (DoC)) then you can take as much as you like. And remove or leave on the hill as much meat as you like.

Its completely different from most other countries, as all game animals here were introduced by us from overseas.

Most private land hunts will charge a day rate for the guide some include 1 meat animal in that rate so you need to check.
Then a stag is extra. Most of these places while they are fully free range they do manage the herd, starting with cull stags and on up from there. You need to ask as their charge out fees range, some are per point, some on a basic classification, cull, representative, bronze, silver, gold, supergold etc.
I'm only guessing but I would expect you would be looking at $1-2K NZD for a representative head on private land.

The guy's I used did everything for me from airport pickups, tent's / cabin accommodation, food drinks etc,. They also had a range of options for taxidermy etc if I wanted that. They can arrange processing and packaging of meat etc, I took my own rifles but they have some nice stuff for hire if you want it.
Z