At Poronui Hunting we want to make your New Zealand hunting trip as memorable and as easy as possible. And if you’re looking to hunt for a red stag trophy you’ve come to the right place!
It’s important you have the right clothing and equipment for the climate and the hunting terrain in New Zealand. The weather can change suddenly, especially in the forest or at high elevation, so you need to be prepared. Four seasons in one day is a phrase that could have been coined to describe New Zealand, and, remember, the seasons are opposite those of the northern hemisphere.
New Zealand is a small mountainous country, and our climate is heavily influenced by maritime conditions. As a result, weather conditions can fluctuate significantly at any time of the year, and it pays to be prepared.
The terrain can be challenging and a good level of fitness is recommended, especially when stalking a stag over a couple of days. You’ll be traversing hillsides, dropping over mountains, and creeping through streams and gorges in search of your trophy stag.
Best for: Tahr, Chamois
Chamois and tahr are both available in their summer coats down in the South Island during this time.
Best for: Red stag, Sika
The start of the hunting season. Red and sika stags are in hard antler by the third week. A great time to look over plenty of stags in the open country and pick a really big trophy that is in good shape before the rigors of the rut.
Best for: Red Stag, Sika
Big monster. Early in the month the sika stags are in the open before they head to the bush before the rut. Mid-March it's all on for the red stags with the rut reaching its peak in late March and early April.
Best for: Red stag, Sika, Fallow buck
As the rut of the reds begins to tail off, the sika are really hitting their straps, usually towards the end of the second week. As if this isn't enough, fallow bucks will make themselves heard before the end of the month.
Best for: Red stag, Sika, Fallow buck, Tahr, Chamois
The red stags move away from the hinds during May in preparation for the winter. In the South Island the chamois and tahr coats are in their prime. The tahr commence their rut and bulls are generally higher in the mountains with groups of nannies.
Best for: Red stag, Sika, Fallow buck, Tahr, Chamois
In the South Island the chamois and tahr coats are still in their prime. Towards the end of June, expect to see stags out in the open in bachelor groups as they try to pile on condition.
Best for: Red stag, Sika, Fallow buck, Tahr, Chamois, Rusa
July is a very good month to pick out a sika or red stag trophy. It's amazing what wanders out from the bush now that they have lost interest in females! Tahr and chamois coats are superb, though by now they will leave the nannies and start congretating in bachelor groups. In July, rusa stags will be making the odd grunt or two as they practice for the rut.
Best for: Red stag, Sika, Fallow buck, Tahr, Chamois, Rusa
Last chance for a big red stag as the antlers will start dropping by the second week of the month. The smaller stags will not shed until September but the really big boys are a couple of weeks earlier. The rusa have come out of the woodwork and are grunting up a storm.
Best for: Chamois, Tahr, Rusa
There are still great opportunities for chamois, tahr, and rusa.
Best for: Chamois, Tahr, Rusa
Probably the last really good month for tahr and chamois, as their coats are climate-dependent and will start to change in the coming months. Rusa and sambar are still available, and, if fishing is on the program, the new season gets underway 1 October.
Best for: Rusa, Arapawa ram, Feral goat
Rusa are the main trophy option in November. The spring growth drags the stags out onto the grass as they recover condition after the rut. It's also a popular time for a spring meat hunt.
Best for: Rusa, Arapawa ram, Feral goat, Chamois, Tahr
Rusa and a spring meat hunt are the pre-Christmas highlights. It's possible to get chamois and tahr in their summer coats.
We work with some of the leading taxidermists in New Zealand, and can easily arrange to have your trophy mounted and sent to you back home.
Please have a chat to us about Taxidermy options in New Zealand.
If you prefer to expedite your trophy to your preferred taxidermist at home, we can help arrange this for you for an additional fee. The expediter will do the paperwork, pack the animal into the crate, and send it. Please note that meat can’t be exported to the United States.
We recommend flat shooting calibres, such as .300 Winchester magnum, which will cope with the range of species and terrain found in New Zealand. Visitors to New Zealand bringing firearms or ammunition must obtain a visitors firearms licence.
Licences can be obtained online. We recommend applying well in advance of your trip to ensure there are no issues. Note that if you intend to use a firearm and ammunition supplied by our lodges you will not require a visitor’s licence. In this instance you are under the active supervision of your guide and do not need an individual licence.
The New Zealand Government has introduced a new travel requirement for some visitors and transit passengers. It’s called the NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority), and travelers need to request theirs via the official mobile app or website. Approval can take up to 72 hours, so get yours before you go.
The NZeTA is required for travel from 1 October 2019.
Visit immigration.govt.nz/nzeta to find out if you need one.
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