Autumn Hunting In New Zealand

Himalayan Tahr. Red Deer. Chamois. Autumn hunting in New Zealand is on the bucket list for many.

Autumn hunting in New Zealand is a time for locals and visitors from afar to get their camo gear out, clean their weapons, and scroll through hunting pics and videos as they prepare for their adventure.

The main reason is the rut, where normally cautious animals are inflamed by their natural passions and decide it’s time to find a mate.

The roar or rut for Red Deer is a highlight on the hunting calendar. Typically from late March through to mid-April this is when stags throw caution to the wind and vocally attempt to attract hinds.

Challenging other males in their territory and coming out into the open makes for an exciting experience as hunters attempt to ‘bugle’ or call the stags to a challenge.

Some of the more popular hunting areas such as Haast, Wanaka and Molesworth run a ballot system where blocks are allocated.

For Himalayan Tahr, hunting can be done year-round with your fitness and agility the main restriction to accessing the high altitude crags and scree slopes which is their chosen habitat.