Free Range Hunting
Rivers South Safaris offers free range hunting for Red Stag, Fallow Buck, Bull Tahr, Chamios, Arapawa Ram, Feral Goats, Wild Boar and NewZealand Varmints (Wallabies, hares, cotton tail rabbitts and opossums)
All these can be hunted with Rifle,Bow and Muzzleloader. The numbers and quality of Red Stag and Fallow Bucks are not as good as those in the hunting Estates. With a 10-12 point Red Stag considered a very good trophy sometimes bigger stags are taken. Free range hunting terrain varies from very gentle farm land were sheep and cattle graze,to rolling hills,to very steep mountains. Good ankle support hunting boots are essential. A very good to high level of fittness is required to ensure a much better chance of getting that trophy of a life time. Good optics are probably the second most important thing a hunter needs to bring with them. The most productive way to hunt in New Zealand is spot and stalk and long periods of time are spent glassing the the hunting areas for the best trophy animals available. All Rivers South Safari guides carry spotting scopes and lazer range finders. If clients choose they do not need to bring them. The best time to hunt free range trophy animals is during the rutting season. Red stag mid March - mid April. Fallow Buck April - May Chamois May - June, Bull Tahr mid May - Early July. To keep free range Red Stag quality to a premium we only offer 8 - 10 hunts a year. New Zealand varmints (wallabies, hares, cottontails and opossums) can be hunted at night with spot lights which is totally legal and great fun.
Estate Hunting
The Estates that Rivers South Safaris hunt on range in size from 500 to 2000 acreas. The terrain ranges from timbered forests to open snow grass and from gentle flats, rolling hills to very steep mountains. Rivers South Safaris offers Estate Hunting for Red Stag, Elk/Wapiti, Fallow Buck, Bull Tahr, Chamois, Arapawa Ram and Feral Goat. All of these animals can be hunted with rifle, bow and muzzleloader. The quality and numbers of estate trophy animals is far superior to those free range especially for Red Stag and Fallow Buck. We are able to achieve this through our strict breeding and management programme and that is why our estate hunting precentages for rifle and muzzleloaders runs at 100%. When bow hunting on Red Stag, Elk/Wapiti, Fallow Buck, Arapawa Ram and Feral Goat we run 100% during the rutting season. With Tahr and Chamois we are at 85 - 90%. The size of the Red Stags on the Estates will range from 300 - 400 SCI and upwards. We can hunt whatever size Stag is required by clients. Spot and Stalk is the most productive way to hunt in the Estates. Hunters need to be aware that Estate Hunting can be as physical and challanging as free range Hunting and Hunters should have a moderate to good level of fitness to give them the best chance at a Trophy of a lifetime.
The Hunting Season
Red Stags can be hunted from 1st March till the end of July with the best time especially for free range Stags is during the roar which occurs mid March through April (our fall). This maybe extended weeek to week as the weather gets colder and frosty. Fallow Bucks can also be hunted from March through to early September. Their rut is usually mid April - mid May. Himalayan Tahr can be hunted all year round with the most popular time being during the rut which is May - June. Chamois may also be hunted all year round with their rut being mid May - mid June.
Our duck shooting season is the 1st Saturday in May through till the end of July. Please ensure that you bring good quality footwear with good ankle support and a very warm jacket as our seasons are opposite to the USA. We have firearms available for clients to use free of charge. Hunters wishing to bring their own firearms can do so. All firearms must be declared to customs on arrival, where a New Zealand import and firearms licence can be issued for a cost of $25.00 N.Z. For quicker processing all this information can be obtained on their website www.police.govt.nz and processed before your arrival at Auckland International Airport NZ. (Hand guns and military style automatic weapons are prohibited in New Zealand. Do not attempt to bring these firearms with you.)
VISAS: Clients travelling from U.S.A. do not require a VISA, however a current passport is mandatory to enter New Zealand. If you have any queries please contact your travel agent.