Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

New Zealand DIY

You got it! My apologies.
SO, please help me understand what those blue and black ducks called laying on those monster swan-like birds? (looks like a relative to our'coot' or mud hen?)
Again, many thanks glass eye!
 
putm2sleep said:
You got it! My apologies.
SO, please help me understand what those blue and black ducks called laying on those monster swan-like birds? (looks like a relative to our'coot' or mud hen?)
Again, many thanks glass eye!
Click to expand...

They are pukekos. They resemble a coot but they act like a pheasant. Cunning bird and sporty to shoot, nothing like our stupid mudhen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp7lJM9d6-g&list=UUFmCX5e8nFBCiqGhewo4lpg&index=12&feature=plcp

Video shot with GoPro and birds are much closer than they appear.
Also, no plugs are required for waterfowl.
 
live free or die said:
awesome pics Glasseye what time of year did you go. See alot of snow, Did you bring two guns with you?
Click to expand...

It was late May and early June ( equal to late Nov. early Dec. in the Rockies) I took my 7mm Rem. Mag & Browning A-5 in a double gun case. NZ gun permit is $25 per person, NOT per gun.
 
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GE: Great pics. Thanks for sharing. I went as an observer with a friend who hunted down there for a few days on a private estate. Much different and less challenging (and fun) than the hunts you show in your pics. I would go back in a heartbeat.
 
dustinf said:
Now, that is a hunt.

If you don't mind sharing, how much did you spend on the trip?
Click to expand...

First trip was just me and a friend. 2 week trip, hiked up alps from roads end. Total cost including airfare ( $982) was about $1700
Second trip was for a little more than 3 weeks. Same friend went with me but this time we took our wives. Left the wives at a hotel for a few days while we choppered up into the alps for a drop camp hunt. Lots of rain and snow during those 3 weeks so we didn't camp out too much for our wives sake. Lots of hotels and restaraunt dining. Total for that trip was about $3900 per couple. This includes the airfare ( $832 X 2 ) and chopper ride ( $300 per person)
We plan on going back in July but without our wives and another guy will join us. Probably for 2 weeks, chopper up to a remote hut. Splitting the cost 3 ways should make it cheaper than the 1st trip, providing I can score on cheap airfare again.
 
glass eye said:
First trip was just me and a friend. 2 week trip, hiked up alps from roads end. Total cost including airfare ( $982) was about $1700
Second trip was for a little more than 3 weeks. Same friend went with me but this time we took our wives. Left the wives at a hotel for a few days while we choppered up into the alps for a drop camp hunt. Lots of rain and snow during those 3 weeks so we didn't camp out too much for our wives sake. Lots of hotels and restaraunt dining. Total for that trip was about $3900 per couple. This includes the airfare ( $832 X 2 ) and chopper ride ( $300 per person)
We plan on going back in July but without our wives and another guy will join us. Probably for 2 weeks, chopper up to a remote hut. Splitting the cost 3 ways should make it cheaper than the 1st trip, providing I can score on cheap airfare again.
Click to expand...

Well done. Anything overseas for under a $1,000 is a great deal on airfare.

I guess not needing to drop $500 on an out-of-state license, is another savings compared
to hunting the U.S.

Any reason you prefer the winter months?
 
heading there myself Glasseye in early June, staying till September. How cold did it get in the Mts.? I assume not as cold as what we get here in NH. Did you buy ammo there? Going by myself right now, plan on buying some gear over there.
 
dustinf said:
Any reason you prefer the winter months?
Click to expand...

I prefer winter there because that's our summer and where I live it's hot as hell. 105*-110* is the average temp here, and if (when) we get a heat wave it's around 120*
Besides escaping the heat at home, I'm a full-time taxidermist and closing shop for 3 weeks during the summer is not a problem, can't do that during our fall / winter season.
Someday I'd like to go there during the roar in April.
If you want to combine biggame with waterfowl than you have to go in May - July.
 
live free or die said:
heading there myself Glasseye in early June, staying till September. How cold did it get in the Mts.? I assume not as cold as what we get here in NH. Did you buy ammo there? Going by myself right now, plan on buying some gear over there.
Click to expand...

If you are hunting tahr in the alps it will be freezing, 20's and add wind chill.
I took my own ammo. You can buy ammo and other gear there but you can expect to pay double or triple the cost. If you can take it..... I would.
 
Thanks for the cost rundown, I would've guessed higher...some hunters are reticent about that stuff. Sounds doable.
 
Thanks Glass Eye
Boy we would be lucky to have 20's here in winter. Used to more like 20 below,lol. Was your waterfowl hunting OYOA also. Field hunting? If not how did you retrieve your game? Need decoys or just pass shooting? Getting more excited every day, Three months there should be a blast.
 
live free or die said:
Thanks Glass Eye
Boy we would be lucky to have 20's here in winter. Used to more like 20 below,lol. Was your waterfowl hunting OYOA also. Field hunting? If not how did you retrieve your game? Need decoys or just pass shooting? Getting more excited every day, Three months there should be a blast.
Click to expand...

Mostly I had help from locals. Hunted parries in a paddock in a borrowed layout blind. Swans were easy, jump shot those and let the wind blow'em to shore. Pukekos are like shooting pheasants and easy to retrieve. For the Grey Ducks I hunted with a local and his dog. Shot a parry on a river, easy retrieve, no help.
Parries are easy to hunt and they are everywhere. Decoy easily and easy retrieve in field hunting.
You'll find kiwis are keen for taking out a yank, don't be afraid to ask.
 
I know this is an old thread but would be a fun one to do. Couple questions.

I assume you have to purchase fuel for the jet boil over there. What about mh? Take or pack it across the ocean?
Anyone have links to a map showing public land and road/trail systems?

Is it fairly green and snow free in tahr/chamois country in August?
 
teamhoyt said:
I know this is an old thread but would be a fun one to do. Couple questions.

I assume you have to purchase fuel for the jet boil over there. What about mh? Take or pack it across the ocean?
Anyone have links to a map showing public land and road/trail systems?

Is it fairly green and snow free in tahr/chamois country in August?
Click to expand...

Yes, you cannot travel by air with fuel, they will find it and confiscate it, and possibly create delays. NZ has plenty of great sporting goods and mountaineering stores, after all, the first man to the peak of Everest was a kiwi. Buy your fuel there. I took MH freeze-dried foods and a NZ customs officer almost confiscated the ones that had scrambled eggs but I convinced her not to. They have freeze-dried too.
August is in deep freeze, equivalent to our February. In August many alpine hunting areas are closed due to avalanche dangers. Remember that it's the Southern Hemisphere and opposite of us. Also in August the snow freezes hard and would require the use of crampons and ice-axe.
Lots of great info on this link...............http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/what-to-hunt/
 
Here is our version on MH, available in all outdoor stores and some supermarkets in the south island (where there are a lot of people hunting and hiking). http://backcountrycuisine.co.nz/bcc/

A lot of snow is likely in August. May is likely to be better weather and less snow. But a word of warning - NZ is a island climate and the weather changes a lot. It can nice one minute and then you can be hit with a cold front. Not really a problem if you plan and prepare properly.
 
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