Hello all

Just booked a 10 day hunt for New Zealand. Decided to do a free range hunt, so it should be hard and fun. Not worried at all about trophy size, just looking forward to getting out in your beautiful country.

I am interested in the ususal comments:

Caliber- thinking of 6.5x55 or 270. Sound about right?

Free range hunting- I know it depends on where we go and what species, but any input you have would be appreciated. Stag should be available, but we are also going to try for sika, and possibly fallow. These, I understand, are pretty scarce, but possible, with fair heads, but again, I am not looking for SCI trophies.

Weather- I understand it can get cold and wet in Late April. What do you guys wear that time of year for stalking?

Looking forward to your responses.

6.5X55 or 270 140-150 gr bullet good choices.

You have booked a hunt with a outfitter??? If you are hunting private land with an outfitter you should have no problem getting Red stag,Sika,Fallow in ten days if the weather plays ball.

April can be quite wet and cold in April,good boots,waterproof jacket.

I found my hunting gear i use here would well in Canada,so if you have hunted Canada in the fall just bring the same gear.

6.5 or 270 in a light weight rifle with 130 to 150 grn bullets great. Late April nice in particular for Chamois in the Southern Alps.
Most NZ hunters wear Wool and fleece with Gor Tex Rain gear. You should bring short pants for ht or wet days, Long Johns and dont forget a drink bottle as the Alps dry up fast if no rain has fallen in just a few days.
Must have good Bino's, sleeping bag and Tuff Boots.
ozhunter

North or South island??? both?? You most hunting Sika in the north island.

Ozhunter and Top Hunter have it right re clothes and rifles, at least i agree with them! Others may have other opinions on calibers etc but your choices are right in the middle of the average Kiwi hunter.

To get all 3 species you will need to hunt in 3 different locations although some areas arent too far apart.

Seeing as you want Sika you need to be in the Central North Island/Northern Hawkes Bay and there are some red deer in similar areas but Sika tend to drive them out from where Sika live. Sika can be quite aggressive. From there to get Fallow you would need to go to either Wanganui, Te Puke or Auckland although there are private land blocks elsewhere.

You really need either a guide or serious advice from locals. You dont just go into any old NZ bush and expect to shoot a deer (We wish!).

Read some of the other posts in here re bringing in your rifle. Its no problem coming to NZ but returning to USA is another story and if you use a guide you would be better to use the guides rifle.

What they said.

Presumably you will have a guide ? If not you will likely spend lots of time floundering around in unproductive bush - and if you are really lucky you may get lost and need to be rescued.

For a multi-species hunt you need a guide with local knowledge and access to areas with the animals. Sika and fallow should be fairly easy to find , reds also , especially if you are wanting a hunting experience more than SCI trophies.

Thanks to all for the informative responses.

Yes, I will be hunting with a guide.

As for rifle choices, it pretty much comes down to whether I should bring a synthetic/stainless rifle or a wood/blued rifle, and that decision depends on how wet it will be there.

I assume a 25-06 is also fine for the animals I am after.

I also note that you have a home grown clothing line, the Swazi line. Are these any better or worse than the stuff we get here, which you may be familiar with, the typical Cabela's stuff of Gore-Tex, water resistent clothing? Swazi seems to emohasize their wind resistant qualities. If anyone knows, I'd appreciate input on this.

Looks like you guys typically hunt in non-camo fleece, and likely carry a light rain jacket in case of showers.

I realize there are many variables in weather based on the time of year, so I am just looking for some basic advice.

Many thanks.

we have no regulations on hi viz clothing but it would be advisable to where some anyway.march and april is a pretty busy time for nz hunters and we have had some tragic accidents over the years.you would want to take a day pack with you with rain jacket,food etc as the weather can be unpredictable.these last few months have probably been worse than most can remember.i wise you all the best and remember to leave some good stags for us kiwi blokes

25/06 could be a bit light for Red stag if you needed to take a shot on an odd angle.

I would bring a synthetic/stainless rifle as it could rain and if you are like me,the last thing i want to do is clean my rifle each night.


Swazi is great stuff here is their website http://www.swazi.co.nz/Welcome/

I'm going to get a swazi Wapiti Coat for this season.

404,for what is worth, here are my thoughts on the subject.

I'd suggest you take a stainless/synthetic rifle to NZ, but since its your hunt, take whatever you enjoy using. I've found a lightweight rifle is always a big advantage in NZ. Any calibre in the 25/06 class will do just fine.

I use some Swazi gear and am quite pleased with it, however, any polar fleece gear in appropriate colours will do. You need to layer your clothing - use quality thermal tops and long johns, mid weight shirt, a pullover, light polarfleece jacket and a gortex rain coat over the top. When you climb, you can strip down to just a thermal top, then put everything back on when you sit and glass. A pair of nylon/synthetic shorts with thermal long johns has worked well for me in the past. This combination is reasonably warm and dries fast.

As others above have advised, use GOOD quality leather boots that you know are comfortable, with high quality woollen socks. Most NZ guides a great guys, but not rely on them to have anything you need. Be self sufficient, carry a daypack with the most basic essentials - torch with spare batteries, space blanket, camera, balaclava, gloves. I'd imagine you'd carry prett much the same gear you use back home when hunting deer. Always think lightweight when planning your gear. Take only essentials and no luxuries. Obviosly, take the best quality binos you can get.

The MOST IMPORTANT aspect to hunting NZ is to become as fit as possible. You'll enjoy your trip much more, and you stand a much better chance at getting the animal you want. Top quality gear and rifle are worthless if you can't climb to the top a hill, or otherwise keep up with your guide. Unfortunately for clients, kiwi guides are disgustingly fit!!

Again, just my $0.02 worth. Enjoy your trip and make sure to post a report.

There are 4 main manufacturers of hunting clothes in NZ and all are good. the owners of the business are all hunters or outdoors people themselves. They are in no particlar order: Swazi, Huntech, Ridgeline and Stoney Creek. Yiu can search them out easily on line.

Keep away from cotton either as underwear or as main clothes. Cotton near skin can be deadly as it absorbs perspiration - you will sweat a lot here even if it is cold as it is also usually quite damp and humid. When cotton has got wet and its near your skin it chills in the wind and cools you down. Hypothermia is a real threat here when wind comes up and/or temperatures drop.

Stoney Creek website has some good info on this. www.stoneycreekshop.co.nz and subscribe to their email newsletter.

We typically use microfibre near skin and fleece as outer layer. I use fleece track pants all year round and vary the top according to season. I have an airmesh shirt (microfibre full of holes) that I use as is in summer and as a next to skin layer in winter and if it gets too hot can just peel off the fleece bush shirt. Pants are best with a waterproof layer in seat often called "dry bum" as whatever you sit on will be damp.

Even if it is hot take the extra warm clothes and waterproof clothes as weather changes quickly without much warning.

Boots should to be leather and have ankle support and most importantly need to be well worn in. I use a Coolmax sock liner as well as wool socks.

Make sure boots and all clothes are clean, scrub the boot soles and make sure all seeds etc are pulled out of any clothes including in pockets and in boot laces etc. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) will check your gear at airport and if not happy will take it away and clean it. A delay you dont need!

Have a lightweight hat if its hot and a fleece hat if its cold. Some chapstick or similar for lips as they will dry out in wind.

Think again about bringing your rifle here. Its no problem getting it here but you may strike problems getting it home. Stainless is best as you will get wet although we use as many blued/wood rifles as stainless.

Carry basic first aid and survival gear including waterproof matches and firestarter like a piece of rubber inner tube. A foil survival bag is a good idea and weighs almost nothing as is a large orange plastic bag to make a shelter in case you are caught out in bush overnight. Ditto some emergency rations to see you through a night out. Have a whistle in case you get lost or separated from guide.

Wrap up your camera to protect it from damp. I use a small tea towel and then put it in a plastic bag.

Really your guide should take care of all this and also advise you on clothes etc.

You can pick up bits and pieces locally as you arrive if you have time.

Navigation can be a problem as it can be hard to see landmarks in bush. GPS is good but coverage/signal can be tricky in heavy tree cover. In your case with a guide it shouldnt be an issue as he should have maps etc and also should know the area he is guiding you in. If he doesnt he shouldnt be taking you there!

Dont count on cellphone coverage but you can be lucky in some areas.

Thank you all for your informative posts.

Decided to take a Rem 700 Titanium in 7mm-08. Super light rifle and easy to carry, with a Zeiss 2-7x44 on top.

Spoke with my guide, he offered to pick up some Swazi clothing for me in advance and send it over- very nice, and I think I will do it.

He did say we would likely NOT hunt public land, as it can be dangerous, with lots of hunters shooting at anything, and we will not hunt estates per se, but open farms (I hope I have the terminology correct). Sika probably will not happen as I am going in late April and all the places are booked, and again, we are avoiding public land.

We had the same issue in North Carolina, if you hunted on the public gamelands, you really took your life in your hands..too many yahoos shooting at anything that moves....

Interesting, he mentioned, as an odd tidbit, that one area we will hunt has wild cattle- cattle that has strayed off the farm. He mentioned they can be interesting- would hate to be gored or killed by a side of Angus beef....

I have done a lot of looking via internet at hunt photosp what's up with you Kiwis- some of you hunt in long johns and ....shorts?

Who is the outfitter??

I hunt big game in N.Z in shorts most of the time as never gets really cold here and when walking in long wet grass,water just rans off and you are not wearing wet/cold pants around.

Gore-tex pants is option.

TOP

I am hunting with John Wolfe, his site is Hunters Paradise seems like a good guy- we have talked quite a bit already.

Does anyone know him personally?