What to wear and bring on your New Zealand hunting trip

You’ve chosen your outfitter, you’ve booked a New Zealand hunting trip and you’ve been counting down the days until you take off. The excitement about your hunt of a lifetime is mounting, but don’t let it take over before you pack the essentials! We’ve put together some tips for packing for your New Zealand hunting trip with Poronui.

Most New Zealand hunting is spot and stalk, so a good set of binoculars is essential for spotting animals (minimum 8x power). We also recommend camouflage patterned clothing to help blend in with the surroundings.

Weather conditions at Poronui can be highly changeable. During the months of March to May, typical daytime temperatures range from 0 to 20 degrees centigrade (30-70 Fahrenheit) and during June to August, typical temperatures are -5 to 15 degrees centigrade (23-59 Fahrenheit). The possibility of frost, snow, wind and rain are always present. With this in mind, we recommend you bring the following:

• Hiking hunting boots
  • High quality, waterproof with good, firm soles and ankle support. Ensure these are thoroughly cleaned (and free of soil) prior to departure, otherwise you will incur a $400 fine at the airport biosecurity.
• Layers of clothing including a windproof/waterproof layer.
  • Layers are important compared to bringing a heavy thermal coat or jacket as the temperature can vary from 30 to 70 within a short time and you need to be able to manage the insulating properties of your clothing by adding or removing items.
• Light weight hunting trousers
  • Full length, water resistant and breathable.
• Thermal underwear and thick woollen socks
  • For the cold mornings and late evenings.
• Sunglasses and sunblock
  • Even in the autumn/fall and early winter the sun can be particularly bright and harsh. Sun block of factor 15+ should always be worn on the face and hands, even in cloudy conditions.
• Camera or cellphone with good camera to photograph your trophy!