Hunt Red Stag in New Zealand
New Zealand is known for its majestic, awe-inspiring scenery, tremendous hospitality, and fantastic hunting.
A hunt in New Zealand is a great trip for you and your significant other to experience all that this beautiful country has to offer. The spine-tingling roar of the rutting red stag is deservedly one of the main draws to New Zealand, but there are many other opportunities as well.
Why you should hunt Red Stag in New Zealand:
- 5-Star Service and Accommodations
- Extremely High Trophy Quality
- Amazing Success Rates
- Combo Opportunities
- World Class Fly Fishing
Hunts: AHA1, CS1, PH1, NZS1
New Zealand Red Stag Hunting Lodges
While the antlers are fully developed from February well into August hearing the roar of the rut, from mid March to mid April, brings a whole new dimension to the red stag hunt. The hunters who come here are regularly guided onto 400 SCI Red Stags with some of the best on the estate exceeding 600 SCI. We believe that the experience of the hunt is just as important as the size of the trophy, and strive to exceed your expectations.
5-Star Service
Tucked away in secluded valleys of New Zealand are private hunting estates where serious hunters have a genuine shot at taking home the trophy stag of their dreams. Whether you stay at the main lodge, or down on the river at the safari camp, immersed in the natural elements of New Zealand (guests often like to round out their experience here under the stars and close to nature), you will receive world class 5-star service and have opportunities at world class trophy red stag.
Combo Hunts
The red stag bodies are massive and the antlers are huge but don’t overlook the other opportunities made available here;
- North Island – The Sika deer were 1st liberated in New Zealand on this ranch in 1905. This valley continues to hold a substantial population and is arguably among the best free range Sika hunting in New Zealand. Rusa stags, fallow bucks, sambar, arapawa rams and the feral goats are all trophies worthy of pursuing as well.
- South Island – In addition to chamois and tahr, you will also have opportunity at numerous other species on a trophy fee basis. Including: elk; fallow deer; rams; goats; sika; sanbar; and rusa stags.
World Class Fly Fishing is Also Available
If fly fishing is on the agenda the heli-fishing program is highly recommended! (The flight itself being an exhilarating part of the experience.)
Additional Add-ons
In addtion to hunting and Fishing (lakes, rivers and ocean), you can go: diving; skiing and snowboarding; countless shopping destinations; penguin viewing; TranzAlpine train sightseeing; high country farming experience (horse trekking, sheep shearing); luging in Queenstown and Rotorua; Otago Central Rail Trail; fine cuisine; golf; mountain biking; Fox and Franz Josef glaciers; Kiwi spotting on Stewart Island; New Zealand’s ‘Great Walks’; Milford Sound tours; whale watching; jet boating; bungy jumping; helicopter scenic tours; wine tours and tastings; Visit Mt Cook (NZ’s highest mountain) sightseeing tours; and waterfowl hunting.
- We have lodges on the North and South Islands.
- Red stag hunting in primarily conducted via spot and stalk with the opportunity for some calling during the roar.
- Hunters are welcome to use their preferred weapon of choice, be it archery, rifle or muzzleloader.
- Opportunity rate for trophy red stags is almost 100% on stags up to 600+”! Regardless of your desired trophy size, you will have a great experience on this hunt with memories to last a lifetime.
- New Zealand is not restricted by hunting seasons, however our outfitter prefers to operate from late February through August, as the seasons here are opposite from the Northern Hemisphere. This makes New Zealand hunting a great “off season” option.
- Stay in a 5-star lodge, but if you have the desire to “rough it” to the sound of nearby flowing water you can stay overnight at one of the streamside camps.
- Trophy fishing for huge rainbow and brown trout. Lake fishing on private charter boats can be arranged too as well as walking and 4WD access to rivers and streams.
Hunts: HYH1, NZS1
Free Range Stag Hunting in New Zealand
If a fair chase, free range hunt is more your style, we’ve got that too!
These working sheep and cattle ranches that you’ll be hunting range in size from 10,000 to 60,000 acres, and are generally open hill country, with some more mountainous country. The main hunting area is 20,000 acres and around four hours drive from Christchurch city. These properties also have good numbers of free ranging red stags, chamois, tahr, and some fallow deer, and they can easily be added onto your stag hunt.
All of the hunting areas have good 4×4 road access, and hunting is spot and stalk style. You will leave the camp every day in the vehicle and locate and stalk stags on foot. Hunts are generally 5 days, but can be extended for those wishing to hunt multiple species. Best dates are from 20th March through to Around 20th April. The peak of the rut is normally the first two weeks of April.
These are true free range red stags, born and bred in wild New Zealand.
- This is a special hunt on private ground holding a great number of wild, trophy bulls.
- Hunting Season is late February through the end of August.
- Prime ‘roar’/rut takes place between late March through to mid April.
- During the rut, calling is used and sometimes you will hunt over bait.
- Stags are born and bred wild stags. They range from 8-16 points (4×4 to 8×8) averaging mid- to high 200″ class.
- High success rate-100% opportunity on rifle hunts.
- Can easily be combined with tahr, chamois, and fallow deer. *also free range
- You’ll be hunting the South Island.
- A good to moderate level of fitness is helpful on this hunt.
- Non hunters and kids are welcome as well. This is a great family vacation. *Be sure to let us know far in advance so that we can get you on the right ranch for this situation.