Can anyone here confirm the range of dates and the heat of the rut for Tahr in NZ?

I am planning an APril-May trip for 2004 and want to hit it just right. HOpe to catch the bulls on the easier ground with the nannies and mob.

I have read that the last week April and first week May are best. observations from those that have hunted or are local are needed.

Jamie

I don't know about tahr, but with stags lots depends on the weather...cold weather..rut is on...warm weather..they wait a bit. As such it would be difficult to determine now, exactly when to go next year. Won't offer my general knowledge about the matter, since you already have a that.

Frans
www.terrahunt.com

Rutting starts from mid to late May and continues until late July.
If you are after a decent cape or skin July and August are the best times to hunt them but it is the middle of winter.
For me May is a good time as the weather can still be quite warm.
All depends what you are after.

Regards Milosmate

Then last week of April is too early? how about last weeks of May?

Really can schedule any way we want this early, but I do not want to find out we are too early or too late...

Jamie

I agree with Milosmate's advice. Seasonal cycle is Nannies give birth in Nov. as snow recedes, by end of Jan the birth season is over. In April the mature bull groups break up and the bulls move to the range of the nanny-kids groups. By May the nanny-kids groups have joined several bulls and mating takes place, mostly at night. By September the bulls have withdrawn from the nanny-kid groups and form mature bull groups on the same ground. By mid-Nov they've made their way back to their summer range, and the cycle starts again...