Guided 12 Day Kiwi Hunting Safari

Your head guide Roland will personally meet and greet you at Blenheim airport and transfer you to the Cob Quarters at Spray Point. On this scenic 45 minute drive you travel through Marlborough’s famous wine country and up to the mountains. There is an opportunity to sight in rifles. Then head out shooting our abundant wild goats on Spray Point’s 2000 ha high country wilderness. Your local guide(s) know the terrain and have been lifelong hunters.

Spotlighting at night, possums, rabbits, hares etc

Stalk red and fallow deer. Test your skill and earn your animal. All animals are wild and free range. All hunts are fair chase; this is not soft adventure on a stocked game park! We will happily prepare your venison for dinner. An optional helicopter drop off to even remoter country can be arranged. For your evening entertainment, possums, rabbits and hares are common pests in NZ and fun to spotlight off the back of a 4x4 on private land. At the end of your day, soak in our outdoor hot baths, set on a rock outcrop overlooking the Waihopai River or use our amazing outdoor shower set on the cliff face looking up the valley at the mountains and stars.

+ optional helicopter drop off to remoter country

Spotlighting at night, possums, rabbits, hares etc

Wild pig hunting with dogs – the real kiwi way. No rifles allowed. With hunting author and local identity Kim Swan or her partner “Possum” Bryant. Dine this evening in one of Marlborough’s top wineries, transport supplied. Please note, we are happy to help hunters prepare and have trophies mounted and shipped home.

Kim Swan not only hunts pigs she also has a rare gift which allows her to write about pig hunting with an enthusiasm and insight few can match. This book is a welcome arrival, as Kim Swan author of five previous books on the New Zealand Outdoors, brings together thirty new pig hunting stories. Ranging the length of New Zealand and covering the spectrum of pig hunting - from triumph to tragedy.

Evening dinner in one of Marlborough’s top wineries, transport supplied eg Alan Scott Restaurant (own expense)

Today we travel by 4WD to Fairlie. An 8 hour journey south to the foothills of the Southern Alps. We travel via the scenic East Coast with it’s magnificent rocky surf beaches. Stop at “The Store”, Kekerengu en route for an excellent brunch with fabulous coastal views. We will take timeout to View the seal colonies of Kaikoura along the way. We also schedule a stop in Christchurch to resupply with ammo if needed. Overnight motel accommodation is included.

The Fairlie Township is nestled in the heart of the beautiful Mackenzie District and amidst the foothills of the Southern Alps and a close neighbor of Lake Tekapo.

Wallaby hunting and spotlighting. Another species that has been introduced into NZ. Challenging, fast hunting after plentiful but elusive wallaby in rolling scrub covered country. Stay in a farm hut surrounded by your hunting ground where you can shoot wallaby within a hundred metres of your front door!

Red Necked Wallabies make the best hunting and in 1870, several Wallabies were transported from Tasmania, Australia to South Canterbury. The original hope, that the skins would become valuable never eventuated and in the year 1874 saw them freed in the Hunters Hills, where over the years their population has dramatically increased. Wallabies are now resident on approximately 350,000 ha of terrain centered upon the Hunters Hills, including the Two Thumb Ranges, the Kirkliston Range. Due to the damage they do to the native vegetation they have been declared an animal pest in the Canterbury region and land occupiers must contain the wallabies within specified areas.

New Zealand has the only legal hunting opportunity for Red Necked Wallabies

After a morning wallaby hunt we are heading to the remote Lake Tekapo for supplies and liaise with helicopter (If Required) Dine in a local restaurant and enjoy Bed & Breakfast accommodation with friendly well travelled hosts.

Tekapo: In the heart of New Zealand's South Island lies Lake Tekapo, a beautiful turquoise highland lake surrounded by a vast basin of golden tussock and the spectacular Southern Alps mountains. Finely ground rock in the glacial melted waters give Lake Tekapo a beautifully unique colour. This highland location enjoys some of New Zealand's highest sunshine hours. The unforgettable night sky reveals why Lake Tekapo has a reputation for clear air.

Walk (2.5 hours uphill climb carrying hunting/camping equipment and food) or optional helicopter flight in to hunt tahr. Spend the afternoon setting up your camp and maybe venture out for an evening tahr hunt.

+ optional helicopter drop off available

Himalayan Tahr
Originally from the Himalayas in Nepal and India liberated near Mt Cook in 1904 and 1909. But it was not until the late 1950′s early 1960′s that the legendary story teller and hunting guide Rex Forrester, put Tahr on the top of the list of big game trophies that the hunters came. With the absence of predators the Tahr flourished and inhabit the main mountain ranges of the South Island of New Zealand between the Arthurs Pass and Haast Pass.

The Challenge of the Hunt
Mostly they live at an altitude above 4500 feet and below 7000 feet and so hunting this animal can be a very physically challenging experience, which takes the hunter high into the pristine valleys of our Southern Alps. However with the right hunting guide, this can become a hugely satisfying and successful challenge, with a magnificent trophy as the ultimate prize.

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 trophies for clients to shoot. (See Hunting Method Below)

Typical Trophy
The Bull Tahr has horn bases of 8-9″ and a round curled horn of 10 to 14 inches. A good male trophy, will be judged by its long mane as well as its horns, although scoring only uses a combination of the base horn diameter and length of both horns. Most Tahr hunting guides will look for horns over 11 inches in length. Tahr horns of 12.5 to 13.5 inches are considered an above “trophy” average and horns over 14″ are exceptional. There have been a few New Zealand Tahr taken with horns over 15″ and these usually fall into the SCI Top 10 Record Category

Tahr are still in their summer coats in March without their big winter manes, however they make an impressive trophy. If a foot hunt is your preference then a reasonable fitness level is required. Once you're on foot the going can get tough at times. We may sport tahr from 2 miles away and this is a species with sharp eyes. Shots may vary from 50 yards to 400 yards so an accurate rifle is of course a must - in particular with a good hard hitting calibre.

DAY 12: WE HEAD BACK TO CHRISTCHURCH