A hunting client is never going to come across the world to hunt a feral wild pig, but, if he or she is already here hunting other game then it’s a quality bonus species to target. A big boar is a trophy worth spending some time stalking, as these old veterans are cunning, tough and cantankerous. A worthy adversary. Pig hunting with dogs is a hugely popular outdoors pursuit in New Zealand, but in my opinion this way of securing a pig for a client is more about the dogs experiencing excitement and the client tagging along trying to keep up with the chase. It is also a ‘dog’s choice’ hunt where the pig grabbed is the one the dog thought appropriate, not the big one the client wanted. The best way for a visiting client to enjoy a boar hunt is to employ the traditional deer hunter,’ spot and stalk’ technique. Poronui has no wild pigs, but clients hunting deer on sister property Glazebrook are almost certain to see a lot of pigs. Amongst the healthy population living there are some truly big boars. These are Marlborough, northern South Island pigs descended from a range of liberations. The primarily…

Glazebrook stands out from most other properties as a hunting destination. In fact it’s quite unique. How do we know that? Our guests show us by coming back year after year. That’s highly unusual for hunting destinations as most follow a one and done trend. What makes Glazebrook different? The first thing is its size and rugged nature. At 9,000 HA of mountainous terrain there is always more to see and explore and it really is exploration. The more time you spend there it unlocks a little more of the Glazebrook personality. It’s challenging country and hunting. This ideally suits the guests who regularly visit. Typically they are Australian and New Zealand hunters who are seeking a true hunt. They want to be physically tired at the end of the day and Glazebrook will certainly do that while providing the benefits of a quality lodge to recuperate It is a hunter’s property. A wide range of species from red deer, fallow, chamois, pigs, goats, hares, rabbits to Canada geese and quail. Game is plentiful and excellent trophies are being taken regularly. Big, heavy reds and surprisingly good fallow are now featuring regularly. It’s reminiscent of New Zealand in the 60’s…

New Zealand has public and private land free-range red stag hunting available to visiting hunters but there is a problem with one of these choices. Overseas clients are used to free-range situations in their homelands where effective game management and government regulations ensure a healthy and visible population of animals and plenty of harvestable trophies. On public land here in New Zealand that is not the case and unless you have some local knowledge then seeing animals is relatively rare and shooting a good one even rarer and you will be competing with others for the resource. There are plenty of excellent red stags on estates but if red stag free-range hunting is your preferred drink of choice then go private land, guided hunting. There are such locations in both the North Island and South Island though they are in limited supply. Popular locations are Central North Island, East Coast North Island, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago. On private land a guided client can expect to see numerous animals over their safari and experience several opportunities to harvest a good sized red stag. It will not be a world beater; size wise, but should carry an even 10 or 12…

April 21 is often touted as the peak of the fallow deer rut in New Zealand and if you are hunting bucks when that peak occurs the action can be electric. Deer everywhere are on the move, bucks are croaking, rut pads are trashed real estate and fights are vicious and prolonged. In my opinion fallow deer are becoming the people’s deer of the 21st century because they are just so available, so attractive and so good to eat. Hunting books list a limited number of established herds through both the North and South Island, but the reality is there are many ‘new’ herds sprinkled throughout Aotearoa. Cunning and quick to acclimatise new habitat I have hunted them in bush, matagouri, tussock, briar and amongst Central Otago rocks. The bucks grow stunning palmated antler racks and for this reason are deserving big game targets for South Pacific and international hunters. Here in New Zealand a top fallow buck scores over 200 Douglas score. Poronui has both estate and free-range fallow deer herds and in 2011 I was lucky enough to hunt the free-range herd on Glazebrook Station located in Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand. I had ensured my visit was…

I saw my first chamois in 1973. I was 17, it was April and I was on my first independent big game hunt armed with my father’s open sighted .303. The location was the West Branch of the Matukituki River in the Wanaka region of Otago. In the middle of a snowstorm, just above the bushline I plundered on to four surprised black and white animals which disappeared unscathed in a hail of poorly aimed bullets. That first up big game experience has meant chamois are a species I always think of fondly. Introduced in 1907 near Mount Cook chamois established themselves quickly and today inhabit a large chunk of East and West Coast alpine terrain, though only in the South Island. Numbers have traditionally been highest on the West Coast but the intimidating weather and challenging bluffs, gorges, rivers and mountains have many choosing the East Coast for their hunt. The regions west of and north of Christchurch get particular attention and some big bucks are being shot inland from towns such as Cheviot, Kaikoura, Ward and Blenheim and close to Hanmer Springs, Arthurs Pass and Lewis Pass. The fact there are no tahr in these areas is a…

Glazebrook Station, New Zealand, Gets Rave Review For Red Stag Hunts(The Hunting Report)