Extreme Outdoor Adventures

New Zealand Hunts

    Extreme Outdoor Adventures is proud to bring you a very special opportunity in New Zealand. Extreme Outdoor Adventures has teamed up with Hard Yards Hunting to offer you the best non-commercialized experience in New Zealand. Hard Yards hunting is a lower volume hunting operation with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity. Hard Yards Hunting operates primarily on the South Island in New Zealand. The main lodge is located near Marlboro in the northern part of the South Island. I hunted with Bernard Mason owner of Hard Yards Hunting for the first time in April of 2006. Bernie is one of the best professional hunters that I have ever seen.    Bernie helped me get within 10 yards of a bedded down tahr while I was bow hunting with him on the South Island near lake Tekapo. For anyone that has ever attempted taking tahr on foot with a bow you will be able to appreciate this feat.
My client and I killed 2 tahr, 2 chamois, 25 wild goats, 24 turkeys, 2 gold medal stags, ducks, wallabies, 1 fallow deer, and 1 gold medal wapiti, all with Hard Yards Hunting expert help and great connections with several large scale land owners.

Tahr and Chamois Hunting

    Tahr and chamois are two of the most prized wild goat species in the world. They inhabit some of the most rugged country known to man. Hard Yards hunting will conduct the hunt to suit the clients fitness level.   Tahr/chamois hunting can be done free range or behind a fence. Either way is challenging as the tahr that are behind the fence are the same as the ones in the free range. They are simply tranquilized and then transported into the game reserve.   Standard ways of hunting tahr in the free range is using a helicopter to spot the tahr then being dropped off to make a final stalk. This method is generally referred to as spot and drop hunting. It generally results in a 100% success rate on bagging game. Draw backs to this style of hunting is the hunt is very exhilarating, but is over usually within a day. Another method of hunting free range tahr is getting flown in to a base camp where there is a small hut that can be slept in and used for shelter. Hunters may then embark from the hut and begin their spot and stalk hunt from base camp. Hunters need to allow at least three days for this type of hunt in case weather is bad. Also hunters need to be in good physical condition to attempt hunting tahr or chamois in this manner. Much of this country is steep, steep, so make sure you are in good physical shape before attempting this hunt. It is probably one of the most rewarding experiences to bag a tahr or chamois after stalking him across a mountain range. But it can be taxing. The third method for pursuing these animals is behind fence. Again do not make the mistake that this will be an easy hunt because it is behind wire. You will still need to be able to do some walking. Many of the fenced hunting properties are very large and mountainous. Guess where the tahr and chamois go when they are on these properties. The variety of hunting options will allow hunters of all physical fitness levels to enjoy their hunt. Tahr and chamois may be pursued year round but mos hunters prefer from late April-August because this is when the coats are the nicest.

Red Stag Hunting

    Red Stag is probably the most popular animal in New Zealand for overseas hunters to pursue. They can be sought after from February to the end of August. The top months for pursuing these magnificent animals is March or April when they are in the roar which is similar to the rut that our elk have. There is two different types of stag hunts to go on. One is behind fence and the other is free range. Free range stags will vary between 220-320 SCI points. They may be pursued on Hard Yards private ranch or on neighboring ranches near Marlboro that Hard Yards works with. These deer may be pursued on foot, with a tree stand, or hide. This is an exciting method of hunting but the size of the trophy in no way compares to the stags taken behind fence. Most of the enclosures where stags are pursued are several thousand acres in size. I recommend hunting an enclosure that is getting regular hunting pressure. This will help insure that the stags are good and jumpy. Stags in these inclosures range in size from 300 SCI points to 500 SCI points. When I hunted with Hard Yards Hunting we hunted both fenced and unfenced stags. The stags located inside the fence were many times the size of the ones outside the fence. I promptly arrowed a Gold medal stag (330-380 SCI points) inside the fence from a tree stand. The price for stags varies greatly. Generally speaking the bigger the stag the bigger the price.
There are some claims by New Zealand Outfitters that they can provide Gold Medal Stags outside a fence. This is a complete farce. These animals are generally raised in a small pen and are completely docile. They are then released near a apple pile under a tree. The hunter is brought up and shoots the stag. This is completely canned. Sorry to say outfitters do not let $5,000-$10,000 stags just wonder around in open country where they can be poached or shot by neighboring ranch owners.

Wallabies, Wild Goat, Wild Boar, Duck Hunting, Turkey Hunting

    In addition to the main hunting attractions in New Zealand hunters buying package deals with Hard Yards Hunting will have the joy of high octane powder burning fun. While in New Zealand Bernie provided us with some excellent high volume shooting. Wild Goats are considered a major nuisance in New Zealand. They will strip the forage bare if left alone. Since there are no predators in New Zealand the goats will populate themselves out of house and home. Bernie arranged 2 days of intense wild goat hunting that I had as much fun on as I did the tahr hunt. Guided by Bernie my client and I stalked one large herd of goats after another. Long distance shots, close shots, running shots, you name it. Wild Goat Hunting is not to be missed if you are in New Zealand.

    Turkeys are similar to the goats. Since there are no predators there are large groups of Merriams Turkeys all over Bernard’s home ranch. Snipe them with a 22 magnum or stalk and blast with bow or shotgun your choice.

    Duck hunting in New Zealand is also great fun. It is legal to bait ducks on private land. We shot ducks for the better part of a day just by jumping from one pond to the next. New Zealand offers a wide variety of waterfowl with very generous limits.

    Wild Boar pretty much the same as wild goat hunting. You get into a herd of them and let them have it. It is a great way to forget about that bad day at work.

    Wallabies hunting is similar to the prairie dog shoot. The wallabies’s which are small kangaroo hang out on the side of mountains in tall grass. You can snipe them relentlessly or go after them at night with a spotlight. This is excellent fun and highly recommended.

Accommodations, Side Trips, and What Will My Wife Do if I Bring Her

The main lodge for Hard Yards Hunting is in Marlboro. This is one of the most unique lodges that I have stayed in. This beautiful 8 bedroom two level lodge was constructed personally by Bernard Mason. It is completely made out of wood and has a very unique rustic feel. The house has a game room, two dens, whirlpool, decks, and beautiful view. It is a great place to take your wife. Wives may embark on a variety of tours from the lodge. Our wives took a tour bus trip down to Queenstown where they stayed at a beautiful hotel. They took a gondola ride up to the top of a mountain overseeing the city . The wives took a ferry boat over a lake where they took in a sheep shearing demonstration, cattle dog demonstration, and a large variety of game species. They also went horseback riding where they filmed a portion of Lord of the Rings. The wives also went to Milford sound and watched whales and sea lions. This is one of the most scenic places in the entire world. The biggest key in all of this is the women did not have to do a thing. All the tours were pre-arranged and it is very easy to add another tour at the hotel desk. There are special travel agents that work at the hotels that will take care of any additional needs your wives may have. After touring Queenstown our wives took a short airline flight up north and met us in Marlboro. While we hunted near Marlboro the ladies dined on fine cuisine went to the wineries and down to the coast. My client and I stayed at a very unique pub and restaurant while we hunted tahr in the south part of the island. Bernard rented the entire upper floor of the Inn and we got the benefits of having a full bar, pool table, local comradery, and a close place to fall asleep. The rest of the hunt we stayed at the main lodge in Marlboro.
Bottom line is I can provide clients with references from everything from bungee jumping, to hang gliding.

Prices and Packages

Hunt #1
10 day hunt completly free range for the fitter hunter mostly on private land
1 tahr with helicopter access
1 chamois
1 red stag or fallow buck
a wallaby shoot
a turkey shoot up to 5 turkeys
a goat shoot up to 10 goats
a duck shoot in season

Total Price: $7,000 must be at least 2 hunters.

Hunt #2
10 day hunt; fair chase on large private fenced hunting preserves [for the more mature hunter]
1 tahr
1chamios
1silver medal red stag
included in the hunt [weather and time permitting]
a wallaby shoot
a turkey shoot up to 5 turkeys
a goat shoot up to 10 goats
a duck shoot [in season]

Total Price: $12,900

Hunt #3
10 day hunt; fair chase on large private fenced hunting preserves[for the more mature hunter]
1 tahr
1 chamios
1fallow
1gold medal stag
1gold medal wapiti
included in the hunt[ weather and time permitting]
a wallaby shoot
a turkey shoot up to 5 turkeys
a goat shoot up to 10 goats
a duck shoot[in season]

Total Price: $25,000

Tahr-$4000 with helicopter

Chamois-$3,500 with helicopter

Fallow Deer-$2,500

Red Stag Gold Medal-$4,600 330 SCI-370 SCI prices good through August

Wallaby Hunt-$300/day

Goat Hunt-$300/day

Duck Hunt-$300/day

Wild Red Stag- $1,500/day

Daily Rate-$300/day

Non-Hunter$200/day

Chasing Thar in the Mountains can be more rewarding than just the Catch. A fare chase in breathtaking scenery, summer or winter. Totally untouched New Zealand. Call Extreme Outdoor Adventures to arrange your hunt today!