My family’s recent trip to New Zealand really started with my oldest son and his wife hunting at Wanganui Safaris on their honeymoon just under a year ago. They raved about the beauty of the county and the quality of their hunting experience. After hearing their stories and seeing their pictures I knew I wanted to go. So, with my wife’s permission I started planning a family holiday around a family hunting trip. I contacted Paul Bamber who along with Christie runs Wanganui Safaris and scheduled our hunt for what we hoped would be the peak of the roar (red stag rut).
For the next 9 months I am sure I drove my wife crazy. I bought a new bow, tested, researched and, bought numerous different broadheads. I shot my bow at least every week and I climbed the bleachers at the local football stadium to build up my legs (it was not enough for a flat lander like me) and generally dreamed about my upcoming hunt.
Then it finally, it came time for our trip. Since my wife was not hunting and we would never likely get back to New Zealand, we made the trip a vacation plus hunting trip. We arrived in New Zealand 10 days before the hunt and toured the islands. I highly suggest spending a couple weeks besides touring if you go on a hunt there, as it is a beautiful country a highly worth spending considerable time visiting.
When it came time for the hunt my family was picked up at the airport by one of their guides who just so happened to be the same young man who guided my son the year before. He confirmed we had timed our arrival during prime roaring. The ride to the Lodge from Palmerstown North was about 2 hours so we stopped and had lunch on the way. Upon arrival at the lodge we were shown our room, meet the other people hunting the same week and had some Nibbles, a New Zealand term for appetizers or snacks, prepared by the lodge’s great chief. Then after settling in we got out our bows and made sure everything was ready to hunt.
The first afternoon hunt: My wife and I rode out in a side-by-side with my guide to our hunting area. We parked the Honda and started walking and glassing. We saw a turkey right away and I shot it to remove some hunting rust. Shortly thereafter we saw a stag we decided to stalk. He appeared to be in a perfect location to stalk and it looked like my quest for a red stag might be over within the first couple hours of hunting. However, when we had closed the distance to about 60 yards it seems a Fallow deer spotted us and took the stag with him when he spooked. Score Stag 1 Roddy 0. We saw another stag on the way back to the lodge, but my guide felt we could do better, so we didn’t attempt to stalk it. I must say I was amazed how much game we had seen, there were fallow deer everywhere along with exotic sheep, goats, and turkeys.
My son and his guide had seen 3 stags, the first afternoon, but they had not attempted any stalks.
That night we were treated to the first of many outstanding meals to be prepared for us that week. I could barely sleep in anticipation of the next morning’s hunt.
The following morning, we woke before daylight, had a light snack and rode to our hunting areas for the morning with our guides. My guide and I spent the morning glassing and never saw a stag, just tons of everything else, back at the lodge the other hunters confirmed it had been a slow morning for stag movement and the guides said the movement had been better in the evenings for the last few days. My son and his guide had seen two stags that morning, but neither were what he was after.
We had lunch and got an early start on the afternoon. My son and I went hunting together and my wife came along to help glass as she had spotted the stag, I had attempted to bag the previous evening. As soon as we got to our area, we spotted a couple stags, one of which was working a wallow in the valley down below us. We then saw a couple more stags with in the distance. At one time we could see 5 different stags with several of them roaring. We had definitely come to a good area for the afternoon hunt. As we kept glassing the stag that had been working the wallow started moving in our direction. My guide and I attempted to move into position to intercept him but miss judged by about 30 yards and he got by us at about 60 yards. At this point my wife, son and his guide are still watching the stag as he is now on a trail headed straight to them. At this point we abandon our stalk as it looks like my son will get an opportunity at this stag. My son and his guide had to hustle to get in position as the stag is covering the ground between itself and my son quickly. As soon as they arrive to their desired location the stag rounds the corner below them, stopping at 23yards for a broadside shot.
The shot was a little high but the broadhead did its job and my son had his stag. I am not sure who was happier, my son or I, but you couldn’t get the smile off either of our faces. We took lots of pictures of his mud covered stag, dressed the stag and drug him to the side-by-side or bike as they call them. Thinking back we don't even know what color the rack of his stag is as we never removed the mud. Upon return to the lodge Lucas found he was the first of our group to harvest his stag.
That night Cookie prepared another fine meal, Lucas retold the story of his hunt a few times and we celebrated the kill with the lodge’s traditional shot of Green Chartreuse liquor. I must say if not for the tradition you wouldn’t want any of that stuff.
The next morning Lucas went with me as I continued my pursuit. We went spotting and after a while we sat and overlooked a large open area hoping to spot a good stag to stalk. The area was covered in fallow deer. There were fallow bucks “croaking” everywhere, several being trophy class animals. But we weren’t seeing any red deer. After spending most of the morning glassing my guide told me he would walk back to the “bike” then come back and pick us up.
Just about when I expected Joe to come riding up, I see him walking in my direction. I went to meet him, and he said, “let’s go”, I just saw a nice stag on the way to the bike. My reply was “let’s go take a look at him” Joe’s reply was “No, you need to shoot him”.
We hustled to the area where Joe had seen the stag and started glassing for him and couldn’t find him. Suddenly he burst out of the dark timber moving right in front of us providing a good shot opportunity. My shot was on target and we watched as he piled up in some tall grass, disappearing from view. I disregarded the advice I always give, which is to give the animal time and rushed to see my Stag. I was so excited I laughed when I first saw him in the grass. After lots of celebration and pictures we loaded up and headed back to the lodge.
As it turns out the stags move that morning and another of the hunters killed an absolute giant. There was more celebratory Green Chartreuse that night as my son’s and my quest for red stag was complete after two days of hunting.
For the rest of our stay were took pictures and hunted Fallow doe for meat. In hindsight I wish I had pursed a Fallow buck, but as they say about hindsight it is always 20/20. Overall it was a great hunt and outstanding experience. I highly recommend Paul at Wanganui Safaris https://www.wsafaris.com/
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Originally Posted by fishnfool38
