Deer (Stag) Hunts

Here in New Zealand we’re very fortunate to have 7 different deer species available to hunt ALL YEAR round with NO TAGS OR LIMITS, just a permit is
required when hunting public lands – which is free!. We are the only country in the world to have this privilege.

HUNTING DOWNUNDER offers trophy Stag Hunts of 5 of these 7 species on our concessions and can arrange hunts for the remaining 2. The large, majestic Red Stags we offer to hunt are usually the main quarry with the other species added onto hunts.

With our top quality ‘Red Stags’ being at the top of most hunters bucket lists, the beautiful ‘Fallow Buck’ and cunning ‘Sika Stags’ run a close 2nd and 3rd, these 3 species roaming in good numbers on our Estate block in the North Island.

Our South Island Estate hunting block is set among scenery that is impossible to beat and also holds quality Red Stags in good numbers as well as Fallow and
Elk.

As well as the opportunity to harvest trophies of the above 4 deer species (Red, Fallow, Sika and Elk), HUNTING DOWNUNDER can provide hunts for Whitetail Bucks, Sambar and Rusa Stags.

The 3 more common of the New Zealand deer species (Red Stag, Fallow & Sika) all rut around the same time, March – May, with April being their peak rutting
time – “the Roar”. As there are NO seasons here in NZ though, they can be hunted from late February (when the Stags are in “hard velvet”) through to July.
NB the stags will start to cast (shed) their antlers around late July/August.

As well as trophy Stag hunts, HUNTING DOWNUNDER also offers Management Stag and Meat Hunts. Management Stag hunts are done when the stags are in hard antler and we target animals that are old or not up to standard genetically wise. These are quite often very nice stags still and their price, although depending on quality, is usually a very good one. Meat hunts are generally done over November/December after the Hinds (Does) have fawned and we target the ‘dry’ females (ones that have no fawns) and/or yearling deer. This is done again to control genetics and numbers to keep the deer population at good levels to maximize quality.