First post after 2 years of watching

South Louisiana of the US born and raised in water and wildlife. But even with all of the great opportunities we have here my bucket list dream is a trip to South Island wilderness with a camping survival style fishing/hunting trip. I am ready to make the commitment to this trip for 2026 April-June but have not yet found the guidance needed to comfortably plan my trip.
Gear rental
Heli or atv rental
Camping/hiking area itinerary
Ground transport from airport
Meat donation points
Fishing tips/tricks
Etc

So many question to be answered to ensure a successful trip

Welcome aboard. I hope you find what you are after.

Why do people use their email address as their handle? it just invites spam mail.

But welcome all the same.

Welcome to the forum. If you engage you will find the help you are looking for Brian.
We are all interested in what hunting and fishing is like in your corner of the world :)

Queenstown would be a good bet.

Easy town to get around with a lot of accommodation options that are walkable from the airport, gear can be rented from small planet sports, many heli providers(i'd recommend Over the Top), hunting areas such as the Mackenzie basin or Fiordland are only a couple hours drive away. You will find most of NZs top hunting species in these areas. You will need a guide if you intend on hunting with firearms, local guides are easy to find but I would begin contacting them soon for availability. Fishing can be done on your own with a non-resident licence, although a guide will take you to some better spots. If you have the cash and want it all sorted for you Venator or Southern Hunting Adventures are good blokes to talk to. Best of luck with planning for your trip!