NZ Hunter

a word from the editor

We’ve just come out of lockdown as I write this, and the poor old Aucklanders are still in level 4, so there hasn’t hunting lately our - be canned and now the Red stags have cast their antlers, but we’re hoping to squeeze in a Fallow hunt before they too drop in October. I had thought that most people who are endangering the future of hunting in New Zealand are outside of the hunting sector but unfortunately, that is not the case. I have been absolutely flabbergasted by some of the vitriolic stuff we’ve seen and heard recently that has come from within a small minority in the hunting sector aimed at the dedicated groups of volunteers that give freely of their time to try and make hunting better for all…

q&a

HI GREG I’d like to discuss my dilemma of selecting my next deer hunting rifle – mainly for Red and Fallow. I currently have a Savage 7mm-08 Model 11. I have never been happy with its lack of consistent accuracy. Everything else about it I’m happy. I use Winchester Power Point and more recently Deer Season Extreme Point which has improved consistent groupings. I’m pretty certain it’s not my shooting, and have shot other rifles with good results. I got a DPT suppressor with four baffles – this was a big improvement, I went to 6 then 8 baffles which improved the grouping a little more – but then it throws an odd one 70-80mm away from the rest at 100 metres. I’ve decided to get another rifle unless there’s an obvious fix for…

whitewater wapiti bugling bulls and battered bodies

"Hopping into a chopper with ten days' worth of food and hunting gear and knowing you are about to fly into some of the harshest, steepest and most remote country in New Zealand is an incomparable feeling. All the months leading in are filled with excitement, anticipation, planning and preparation for this moment... so what have we forgotten? What sights and stories will we come back with?" The feeling of isolation grew as each unpassable ridgeline disappeared behind us. As we approached George Sound, we received our first glimpse of the Whitewater Wapiti block - our home for the next ten days. As we were sharing the block with another hunting party we had split the block using the main Whitewater River as the boundary. The true left of the river…

outside the comfort zone

Luke and Samantha had taken the first flight in, locating a primo little spot nestled in a basin that give us protection from the West Coast weather and providing us with stunning mountainous views. After safely landing and doing the mad dash to get the gear out of the helicopter, the five of us made quick work of setting up our luxury camp, unpacking everything including the kitchen sink. With the tents set and everything secured, we were pumped and ready to go scouting. We headed off up the hill behind us that led to a ridge running between a rocky outcrop and a hanging valley. Over the next few days I grew to have a love/ hate relationship with this daily climb, my body hurting at just the thought of…

two nights in q creek

I’d set Angus up with the rifle over a pack to prepare for a shot but there was a problem – the wind. The forecast had predicted nor’ west gales or severe gales for the duration of the weekend, and it had proven accurate. We watched plumes of dust and debris being hurled into the air from the streambed below us while the tussocks surrounding us shuddered with every gust. Dust blasted into our ears and eyes. But there was little we could do about the weather and we couldn’t close the distance for we were utilising the last piece of cover. The tahr meanwhile, were tucked away in a little fold amongst the tussock face, sheltered from the elements. The tussock around them barely moved. It was clear we were going…

blueprint success

Covid-19 had come at the worst possible time for a keen hunter, just as the roar was upon us. It was a big blow for all, but it had to be done to save lives.. I had just finished nine months of training Meg, my BGID (Big Game Indicating Dog) and I was planning that my first hunts with her would be after my annual fly-in roar trip, which was obviously not happening anymore! So, now that there were several extra weeks ahead and not being allowed to hunt, I could put more training into Meg, just to consolidate all of her lessons from “The Blueprint”. Back in 2017, the Edgecumbe flood had my wife and I living in a 9m by 3m transportable cabin. We had bought a lifestyle block with…