Sommaire pour Issue 108 de NZ Hunter

If you are into the stags, antlers and points thing, there is no better time to catch out a big old boy with his guard down, provided you can get past every other hunter with the same idea. For the 2024 roar, plans were laid as normal. I had a couple of larger, expedition-type trips lined up, as well as some weekend-based walks closer to home. These longer trips at the start of the roar are always a pleasure, and this year was no different. We saw plenty of roaring activity and a handful of promising stags for the coming years. One in particular, a solid 12, was tempting for a time, but based on his age and potential, we let him walk. My luck this year came through a…

This Article is dedicated to the memory and life’s work of Mr Scott Talbot (1961 - 2025) – Wyoming State Game Biologist and Former Director of Wyoming Game & Fish Man has removed natural deer predators from most deer ecosystems around the world, and where deer have been introduced to foreign systems, they generally have no natural predators. Human hunting must, therefore, take on the role of pruning the herds to fit the habitat. The need for ‘predation’ to keep the balance is a critical issue for deer managers all over the planet. During 2024, I was privileged to host a US Game Biologist as part of a NZ tour arranged by the NZ Game Animal Council and Safari Club International (NZ Chapter). We talked at length about game management…

It’s hard to miss. A 6061 T6 alloy and carbon hybrid, the lightest chassis system available in NZ for the Mini Actions, I was keen to drop my 223 in it and see how it performed. Elude Chassis Full chassis systems provide a very stiff and well-finished bedding surface, providing for greater accuracy than most off-the-shelf stocks. They’re generally quite heavy but the Elude really brings the best of both worlds. With the alloy forend for your choice of M-lok attachments and mount systems, solid alloy action section, and minimalist carbon rear section it weighs in at only 557gms. There are some variables when considering the weights here though. The Elude is compatible with any AR-style grip, opening up a world of possibilities. Ranging from the $500 titanium mesh options…

Whether it’s chasing a rabbit, spooking deer, flushing pheasants out of range, or just simply “bugging out”, it’s disheartening to realise you’re no longer of primary importance, or perhaps of any importance to your dog. We value our hunting dogs for their drive and desire to find game, to flush, to indicate, to track or to trail. But this very trait is the one that gets them into trouble. So, what can we do when we’re fading into the background, like an out-of-focus photo, and no amount of whistling or calling has any effect on their speedy departure? Well, it’s time to bring back the focus. Having a sound recall is essential for several reasons. In the hunting field, dogs face countless distractions—scents, wildlife, and environmental stimuli can pull their…

From behind the scenes, when we filmed the series my wife sat down to eat this dish I could see her thinking ‘here we go with another casserole, I’m going to have to look like I’m enjoying it’. After filming however she said ‘you can make that again in the winter as it was delicious’. This type of dish lends itself to this time of the year. This hard-working muscle, the shank, obviously starts out tough but given the right treatment you will have a very tender and tasty dish full of flavour - and maybe date night too! The Italian meaning for osso buco comes from ‘osso’ meaning bone and ‘buco’ meaning hole - so hole in the bone. In this case the shank as it will be crosscut…

Using an app on your phone is by far the quickest and most convenient way to get your ballistic solution or “dial-up” to allow for bullet drop beyond your sight in range. Our favourite app is Applied Ballistics (AB), or you can use the earlier version Shooter. These are both available in your app store. They both use the same recognized expert ballistician Bryan Litz engine for their calculator, but the various AB versions have progressively larger libraries of information and other features included in their cost. For AB’s new state of the art Quantum app you can get the free Ultralight version, or the Elite or top of the range Professional versions paying a monthly subscription of $3 or $4 USD respectively, or $20 or $30 USD for a…

I caught up with him in Central Otago on an appropriately wintery June morning. Like Snow - and almost everyone who’s had the opportunity to hunt tahr - I vividly remember being completely captivated by the first tahr I saw in the wild. So much so that I spent several trips stalking in to photograph family groups and young bulls before I ever looked at one through a rifle scope. It was a real privilege to sit down with someone who has been so deeply involved in the world of hunting and protecting these incredible game animals. I asked Snow about his hunting background, guiding, politics, the long fight to protect tahr, and the future of tahr management in New Zealand. Where did hunting all start for you? I was…

In my case, this was largely in the Kawekas and Ruahines. Starting out with my Dad and older friends gave me a foot in the door. I tried different sorts of hunting, from bush stalking the Eastern Kaweka scrub, sitting and glassing bush clearings in the Ahimanawas and hunting the Kaweka and Ruahine tops. It wasn’t until I turned sixteen and gained my firearms licence that everything started to fall into place, and I found my own style. I like a healthy mix, but most of all, I like exploring new country and covering as many miles as possible, both on and off track. Generally, I liked to travel solo as it made my big trips easier, but I wasn’t against taking a mate with me. I soon began to…

The path less trodden Hello and welcome to my first column in NZ Hunter as a member of the team at the NZ Game Animal Council (GAC). I started with the GAC in early June and have been enjoying getting to know staff, Council members, and those across the sector. It’s truly a privilege to work with people who are so passionate and knowledgeable about hunting and the sustainable management of game animal species and I’m looking forward to connecting with more of you, to best understand how the GAC can support you and the wider sector. A BIT ABOUT ME For the past three years, I’ve been CEO of New Zealand Fish & Game, working alongside passionate hunters and anglers who’ve deepened my understanding of the sector. I came…

Nights are long, waterfowling means plenty of pre-dawn starts to get set up. Deer are hungry, meaning it’s the busiest time of year for shooting crop-raiding animals. With that in mind, I was mighty pleased when this package from Fenix showed up. I’ve consistently been impressed with the large range of their products I now own. From the smallest headlamp in my arsenal, to an outrageous class 1 laser torch for spotlighting (the HT30R) they do it all and they do it well. I went in to reviewing the HM75R with high expectations, it looked like the ultimate heavy-use workhorse. The basic frame looks like the HM65R, our go-to Fenix headlamp, with a 5000MaH powerbank strapped to the back - but there’s a lot more to it than some extra…

We couldn't help but think, “What a place we live in. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Surely, there must be animals around here somewhere.” We dreamed of that picture-perfect moment every hunter chases—eyes scanning frantically. Then suddenly, movement. That funny-looking brown-red bush with sticks poking out of it that any seasoned hunter recognises: “Stag.” Antlers soared high above his head, the white tips catching the last golden light. He stood, proud and watchful, ruling from his mountain throne—a majestic, truly mature, public land stag. But let’s not start there… The Call Like many recent trips, this one started with a random text from Matt: “Weather's looking good Tuesday-Wednesday. You keen? We could hit that spot X we’ve been eyeing on the maps. Si’s keen!” Having not hunted since a…

Isabel was the lucky winner of the professional guided hunting with the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association. She and her dad, Matt, reported that it was an epic adventure, with breathtaking landscapes, and she even shot her first deer! Despite travel delays and disrupted flights, Isabel and her dad finally touched down. Spirits were high as they made their way to the hut nestled on the guide’s former family farm. The evening light was fading, but there was just enough time for a quick glassing session. Scanning the hills, they spotted a small mob of Fallow deer and a few pigs. Higher up, the thermal scope revealed a wealth of animal activity on the hilltops—an exciting sign of what was to come. Fraser, their guide and host, was more…

Better Hunting is a free online training platform built by the NZ Game Animal Council to help hunters improve their skills and knowledge, while helping them understand their obligations and responsibilities as hunters and firearms users. The courses and resources are intended to provide a pathway and support hunters who go on to do practical training, such as the NZDA HUNTS courses. The content is designed by New Zealand hunters, for New Zealand hunters. You can do the courses on your phone and even download them for offline viewing using the app. For new, inexperienced and casual hunters, the two main courses, Hunting Essentials and Firearm Essentials, cover foundational hunting and outdoor skills. There’s also an Introduction to Pig Hunting course. More experienced hunters will still find useful information throughout…

REMOTEHUTS.CO.NZ The Johnson Valley lies on a historic prospecting route that linked the Wangapeka and Lyell pack tracks, but the original blazed tracks were severely damaged by the 1929 earthquake and never repaired to their original standard. The route from the Little Wanganui River over Kiwi Saddle to the Hut was kept open in the 1960s by the New Zealand Forest Service, but by 1979 had become overgrown as well. Only the odd bit of unofficial work was done from then until 2023 when Andrew Barker of Permolat got stuck in and started reopening the trails. Johnson Hut has always been low-use due to its remoteness, the rugged nature of the country, and the lack of a maintained route ensured it stayed that way. Even now it still only gets…

MSR are no strangers to this market. Their Windburner, Whisperlite and Pocket Rocket stoves are top competitors in their respective quick-boil, multi-fuel and burner categories. While I am certainly a fan of the Windburner, and the quick-boil category in general, it’s not a very modular system. You’re restricted to the proprietary water boiling pot, and a limited array of proprietary pots and pans, which despite a lot of technology generally have a ‘surface of the sun’ hotspot in the middle. They boil water exceedingly well, but if you want to fry up some fresh eye fillet it can be a bit of a nuisance. To cater to the market of adventurers who want a little flexibility in their cooking MSR launched the Switch Stove. It’s a hybrid system that uses…

PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY ALLSPORTS MARMOT LIMELIGHT UL TENT (2P) LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD WITHOUT LOSING COMFORT IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. The Limelight UL is a 3-season, freestanding tent designed for hunters and trampers who need reliable shelter that’s easy to carry, fast to set up, and tough enough for rugged conditions. Weighing just 1360 g (2P), it features two doors and vestibules, ideal for stashing gear out of the elements. Inside, gear cubbies and multiple pockets keep essentials close but out of the way. Built with ripstop fabrics and DAC Featherlite poles, it handles rough terrain and weather. Seam-taped construction and fly vents keep you dry and comfortable through variable conditions. Specifications: Min Weight: 1360g Floor: 2.9 m² Vestibule: 0.6 m² Peak height: 115cm Packed: 50 × 17cm 2 doors, 2 poles…