As a New Zealand searching consultant, I have actually helped numerous hundred seekers take their very first New Zealand Red Stag Hunting trip. The most frequently asked question is, “when is the best time for Red Stag searching in New Zealand?” The details in this article is based upon my firsthand experience. I have actually hunted the Red Deer “Holler” in New Zealand and likewise in Argentina. I have additionally hunted deer outside of the holler in New Zealand.
The largest draw for New Zealand searching is the Red Deer also called Red Stag. A lot of the Outside TV Reveals, hunting magazine posts and searching reports focus their reviews around hunting during the “Roar.” The Holler is the singing audio the red deer make during their rutting period, similar in nature however totally different than that of the Rocky Mountain Elk. The “Holler” typically runs around the third week in March to the forth week in April. This time around duration can change +/- 7 to 10 days by the climate condition. If New Zealand gets a winter front in early March, it can speed up the Roar.
Deer searching during the Roar is an exciting time to search as well as need to be experienced a minimum of when in a hunter’s lifetime. The stags will certainly holler all the time. Throughout this time duration, the red deer are concentrating on their areas, hinds (female red deer) as well as other stags. A normal rifle shot throughout the Holler can be well under 100 backyards. The Roar is additionally the very best time for bow hunting red deer. An excellent guide should be able to obtain the bow hunter within 25 to 40 backyards of his target. Blinds as well as hides can also be established over mud wallows as well as routes offering chance ats less than 35 yards.
Weather condition during the Roar is typically like very early September in the Rocky Mountains. Expect the mornings to be awesome, usually in the low 40’s and high temperatures in the high 70’s as hunting auction well as also potentially reduced 80’s.
Red Deer Searching can be done on both the North as well as South Island from late February through Mid-August. Most of the times, the red deer will certainly run out velvet around the 20th of February. The last 10 days of February and the initial 2 weeks of March, the red deer will remain in the very best physical look of the year as well as ought to have no broken antlers or missing tines. They will start dropping their horns around the 3rd to 4th week of August. Red Deer in New Zealand will certainly start fighting with various other stags, typically soon after the first seven to ten days in April. Hunters will certainly start to see some busted points from this moment with the end of August. These deer have been known to eliminate so hard with other stags; they have in fact broken off the horns at the skull plate exposing the stag’s brain. When this takes place, the deer normally dies quickly afterwards.
With this being stated, the best time to bow search red deer is throughout the Roar, from late March through late April. The most superior red deer hunting “roar” dates would certainly be the initial 10 days in April. Late February and very early March and a great time to rifle hunt red deer as well as also a fun time of the year to include some New Zealand fly angling on the side. They can be hunted with a rifle during the holler however expect it to be an easier hunt than normal with many shots probably less than 100 backyards. Red Deer hunting comes to be more challenging from May with August with ordinary shots in the 150 to 200 lawn array.
The first week of June normally brings the first snow of the season. Early morning temperatures average in the mid to high 30’s and also highs in the mid 50’s to low 60’s. Late May, June and also July much better reproduce the late autumn and Winter hunts we can experience in the United States. This is additionally a great time to blend a red stag quest with Tahr searching or Shammy hunting. The cooler weather in late May starts the Tahr rut and also is likewise in charge of the Tahr as well as Chamois to transform their winter coats darker in color. The “lion like” mane of the Tahr will certainly also go to its maximum size during this moment of the year.
There are two means to search red deer in New Zealand. The initial is referred to as “Estate Hunting.” Estate hunts are held on huge fenced ranches or terminals. These stations are normally fairly large in size, from 2,500 acres to 20,000 acres or more. The fence allows the herdsmans to manage the herds as well as genetics and also shut out local hunters and poachers. Administration in New Zealand has actually permitted the country to establish the biggest red deer worldwide. There were 2 New Zealand red deer harvested in 2009 over six hundred (600) inches and one was over 650 inches. All prize course red deer in New Zealand come from Estates or Ranches. The fences on these terminals get rid of the term “free array” however not fair chase. Most of these homes are exceptionally huge and also the terrain as well as flora make these hunts equally as tough as a cost-free variety search.
Real totally free array hunting in New Zealand is available on both Federal government and also private properties. These homes may include cattle fence but this doesn’t quit the red deer from just leaping over them and moving openly around. Free variety are much smaller in antler dimension than the estate stags. A trophy complimentary array stag on personal property will certainly have 10 to 14 points and also will certainly score from 220 to 275 inches. As a result of hunting pressure as well as no genuine period for red stag, the public residential properties see much smaller sized stags than those on private property. It is extremely unusual to see a “real” complimentary array stag over 300 inches. Some homeowner will certainly release 300 inch plus red deer on their cost-free array properties. These stag can normally be determined after harvest by seeking openings in their ears where a tag used to be.
With the basic huge game open season in New Zealand closing in August and also the U.S. big video game period starting in September, red deer searching in New Zealand is an excellent way to extend your huge video game open season.