FAQ

Q. What is the Success rate on your Red Stag hunts in New Zealand?
A. Our Stag hunts run 100% on success if the hunter does his/her part.

Q. When is the New Zealand Hunting Season?
A. New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere.  Hunting Seasons are opposite of those in the United States.  The main hunting season is from late February to August.  Horned and tusked game can be hunted all year long.

Q. When is the Red Stag Rut or "Roar" as they call it in New Zealand?
A. The Roar runs around the 18th of March to approximately the 24th of April.  Beginning and end dates may vary but one week or so.  Usually the first cold snap in March starts the Roar.

Q. How many "Trophy" Stag should I expect to see in a day’s hunting?
A. Like all hunting this will depend on what time of the year and what the weather conditions are like. It’s fair to say that on average you can see up to 15 to 20 Stags a day 

Q. What is the SCI Scoring in relation to the Silver & Gold Medal Trophy levels?
A. They are as follows; Bronze Medal Stags 260-292 SCI, Silver Medals Stags 293-348 SCI, Gold Medal Stags 349-365, Super Gold Medal Stag-II 366-380, Super Gold Medal Stag-III 381-400 and Platinum Medal Stags are 401-420 and above.

Q. What do I need to bring?
A. The most important item is good quality mountain hiking boots.  Also bring quality wet weather gear, warm hunting jacket, gloves, hat, sunglasses, small daypack, camera and quality binoculars.

Q. Can I bring my own rifle to New Zealand? What kind of paperwork do I need?
A. Yes - you can bring your favorite rifle to New Zealand. The Form is just one page in length and the Fee is NZ$25 (about US$17.00). We will handle all of the Firearms Permit details for you after you fill out the form.

Q. Are there rifles to use at your lodge if I don't want to travel with mine?
A. Yes - we can supply a rifle for you at no additional cost.

Q. How far will rifle shots be?
A. Shots will be between 100 and 300 yards.  All of our Rivers South Safari guides have quality rangefinders.  Shots during the roar/rut will range from 75 to 150 yards or closer.

Q. How is the duration of the hunt figured?
A. Your hunt starts at the airport and finishes at the airport.  Your arrival and departure dates are not counted as part of the "daily rate."

Q. What is needed to secure the booking of a hunt?
A. A 50% deposit is usually required to book a New Zealand Hunting safari.  In the event of cancellation by the hunter, no refunds are given. Be sure and get hunters trip insurance.  Click here for a quote or call Global Sporting Safaris at 888-850-HUNT, Ext. 3

Q. Do you offer Free Range Hunts in addition to the Estate Hunts?
A. Yes! The Free Range Hunts we offer are limited 8 to 10 per year. The FREE range Red Stags range between 10 to 14 points the occasional 16 pointer taken.

Q. How can I bring my trophy back to the United States?
A. We use a taxidermist to handle all our expediting.  He will prepare your cape and horns for shipment back to the U.S. He will crate and ship your trophy to your taxidermist. Call Rick at 888-850-4868, Ext. 3 for details.

Q. Can I bring any meat back to the United States?
A. No

Q. How do I pay for the hunt?
A. We accept traveler’s checks and credit cards or U.S. Dollars.

Q. How many hunters can you accommodate at one time?
A. We can accommodate up to 4 couples or 8 hunters on a double occupancy basis at once

Q. What is your suggested tipping rate?
A. We suggest $100/day for the guide and $40/day for the staff in US Dollars. Depending on how you find the service of your guide and staff clients will tip accordingly

Q. How long have you been outfitting and guiding in New Zealand?
A. A passionate hunter all my life thus far both in Australia and New Zealand, I have been guiding in New Zealand for 5 years and Pam and I have been outfitting for 2 years. All of RSS guides are professional, freindly and have excellent knowledge of all New Zealand game and are all lifetime New Zealand hunters.

Q. Do you have any experience guiding bow hunters?
A. Yes all of our guides have experience in guiding bow hunters

Q. How close can you bow hunting guides get me to a trophy Stag?
A. Shots between 20 and 40 yards are not uncommon, especially during the Roar or Rut.

Q. Are you familiar with the CIC Scoring System for Red Stag?
A. Yes. CIC is a European scoring system based on the weight of antlers with the skull attached.

Q. What are the quality of trophies like in CIC points on your Free Range and Estate Hunts?
A. Our free range red stag hunts will produce CIC scores between 7kgs and 10kgs while the Estate hunts will range from 8kgs to 15kgs.

Q. If I book a 4 day hunt and bag my trophy in 2 days can I use the extra two days to waterfowl hunt or go Fly fishing for trout?
A. Absolutely! We can even supply the shotgun or Fly fishing gear at no extra cost.

Q. I am looking for a Chamois & Tahr hunting trip for my father’s 60th birthday. What is the success rate, type of terrain and average distance of shot?
A. We run 100% on our Tahr and Chamois rifle hunts. The country is sheep and cattle country with rolling hills backing onto the mountains. The average shot is about 200 yards. We have hunting areas that cater for everyone no matter what your age or fitness level.

Q. When are the Red Stag in velvet?
A. Red Stag are in hard velvet in early February and normally have it all stripped off by the end of February. The Stag will shed their antlers late August thru September.

Q. What type of rifles is available for me to use if I don't bring my own?
A. We have .270 BSA, 25/06 Steyer, 30/06 Savage. We also have several varmint rifles and shotguns available for Wingshooting.

Q. Are crossbows and handguns legal for hunting big game in New Zealand?
A. Crossbows are legal but handguns are not legal for hunting. Do NOT attempt to bring hand guns in to New Zealand or they will be confiscated by the airport police.

Q. I will be in New Zealand on business but only have 1 or 2 days to hunt. Will that be enough time?
A. Yes! We can put you in front of a good number of Stags in a day. Our biggest problem is keeping the hunter from wanting to take the first trophy stag they see.

Q. I would like to bring my wife with me on this hunt. She is not a hunter. What is there for her to do while I hunt?
A. We have a lot of activities for the non-hunter. Please click here for details.

Q. What is a New Zealand Wapiti?
A. A Wapiti is a cross between an Elk and a Red Stag.

Q. Do you have references I can call?
A. Yes. Our references are located here.  Please respect their time and be conscious of time zones.  These references are doing this out of courtesy to Rivers South Safaris.

Q. Is Global Sporting Safaris authorized by Rivers South Safaris to book hunts on their behalf?
A. Yes. Global Sporting Safaris is the Authorized U.S. Booking Agency for Rivers South Safaris by outfitter/owner Mark and Pam Waite