Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)
Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)
The Southern Alps Chamois were originally native to central and southern Europe and first arrived in New Zealand in 1907, gifted by the Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. (A tourist town and glacier on the west coast are named after him) Liberated near Aoraki/Mt Cook, they are now found through out most of the Southern Alps and these remain the only free-ranging herd outside of their Northern Hemisphere home territories.
As a member of the antelope family, the Chamois has exceptional eyesight and the ability to run effortlessly in the roughest terrain – It is considered as one of the most graceful game animals found in New Zealand.
We think of chamois as alpine animals, but on the West Coast side of the Southern Alps there are some areas where they are found in the forests almost to sea level. Like tahr, they are absent from the North Island. Chamois are similar in appearance to goats, but have longer legs, a more erect neck, pointed ears, and differ in shape and curvature of the horns
The Challenge of the Hunt
On public land, the hunting of chamois requires a high level of fitness. The few roads that enter the mountainous regions remain at river level. Therefore to reach chamois habitat, a climb of at least 500m is needed. The unstable nature of these slopes is very typical of much of the country in which chamois are found. The animals here are exposed to unrestricted hunting and consequently are very wary, combine that with extremely sharp senses that are perfectly matched to their incredible agility and you have a challenging hunt. Those that require a less strenuous hunting experience helicopters are being used to live capture trophy bucks on public land for sale to game parks. In addition, some guiding operations are using helicopters to locate trophy bucks for clients to shoot.
Typical Trophy
A good pair of trophy horns are those over ten inches in length; an exceptional pair may exceed fourteen inches. The body weight of New Zealand populations is about 20% less than that of European chamois, suggesting that food supplies may be restricted here. However, both the male and females can have trophy length horns that match the best in the world.
Adult males have a shoulder height of usually up to 36 inches and do not often weigh over 100lbs, while females seldom exceed 801bs. The overall colour of the coat varies seasonally, and while there is considerable variation between individuals, tends to be brown to almost black in adult males in winter to a brownish fawn in summer.
New Zealand Record
27 on the Douglas Score points system or more than 10 inches long
Best Hunting Times
While hunted year-round, their rutting season runs from April through to the end of June. It is during the ‘Rut’ the Buck, are at their entertaining best. Whether it’s the Buck’s antics towards the Doe, or its aggression towards other Bucks, or indeed the hunter, they are very fascinating to watch. Often when they spot movement, they will charge towards it to run off an intruder and many a hunter has had a Chamois Buck run right up to them, often to the animal’s extreme disadvantage, though a great advantage for our bow hunters. The best time to hunt Chamois is April though to August when the capes are long and black in color with a silver strip along the spine.
Hunting Method
1) Wilderness Spot and Stalk: We hunt the chamois on foot using the spot and stalk method of hunting. Access is by 4×4 vehicle. Chamois prefer the roughest country and hunters should have excellent fitness to hunt chamois on foot.
2) Lodge/ Game Estate Hunt: Free range fair chase. Access is by 4×4 vehicle
3) Wilderness Chamois Hunt (Camp): A helicopter is used to transport us to the lower mountains of the Southern Alps. Set up camp and go hunting. Most chamois are within 1-2 hours walk from camp so you don’t need to be extremely fit to get your trophy of a life time.
By Helicopter?
Helicopter assisted hunting enables you to access the more remote mountainous areas where there are excellent trophy animals. It also gives greater chance of success if you have limited time. Helicopter assisted hunting can be an exciting alternative with spectacular flights, and the opportunity to take an exceptional trophy.
NOTE: The helicopter is only used as a mode of transportation and animal recovery. You are not allowed to shoot, drive or herd animals from the air. Hunters spot their trophy from the helicopter and are taken to an area when they can pursue their spot and stalk by foot.
Weapon
Chamois are a small nimble animal and don’t require a large caliber, but the rifle should be flat shooting with good optics.
