Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask but here are some of the more common we get.
Q. How do I get there?
A. You fly into Auckland International Airport (about 12hrs from LAX and SFA), then, depending on your hunting destination, catch a domestic flight from Auckland to Christchurch airport (approx 1.5 hours) and then onto Hokitika airport (1 hour).
Q. Can I bring my own rifle? and, what permit do I require to do so?
A. Yes you can bring your own rifle. You will need to apply for a visitors firearms license at https://www.police.govt.nz/advice-services/firearms-and-safety/visitor-firearms-licence-and-import-permits. Apply as soon as you can to ensure it is processed in time for your arrival.
Q. Do I need a Passport or Visa?
A. Yes you will need a current Passport and you must apply for a visitors visa or an ETA at https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa
Q. What insurances do I need?
A. HDU strongly recommends that visitors to NZ have current medical and travel insurance.
Q. What is the level of fitness required to hunt with HDU?
A. HUNTING DOWNUNDER caters for ALL levels of fitness (as well as ALL ages).
Q. What are the hunting seasons and what permits/tags are required?
A. Apart from Waterfowl (Ducks etc) and Upland game (Pheasant etc) NO permits/tags are required to hunt animals on private land here in NZ, and there
are NO seasons – you can hunt here all year round.
Q. How do I get my trophies home?
A. HUNTING DOWNUNDER will expedite and/or arrange for your trophies to be mounted and sent home (costs NOT included in hunt prices). And, depending on what trophies are taken, we can also arrange for you to take your trophies home directly with you – saving you $$ in shipping.
Q. How much will it cost to get my trophy/s home?
A. Obviously that will depend on where you live and weight/size of the shipping crate needed. The average cost of a shipping crate containing x2 hunters
trophies (say 3 animals each) freighted to San Fran (the best port to use) is about $1,200USD – so $600 per hunter.
Q. Can I take meat home to the U.S from animals I’ve shot?
A. YES YOU CAN. Unlike every other outfitter in NZ, HUNTING DOWNUNDER can arrange it for you to take your meat home with you. Obviously there are
requirements but our clients have had no problems over the last 2 years.
Q. What can I expect the weather to be like when I’m hunting?
A. This obviously depends on which month you’re here and what the season is doing, just remember that NZ (Southern Hemisphere) is opposite to the U.S
(Northern Hemisphere) ie, December is our Summer. During HUNTING DOWNUNDERS usual hunting season (late Feb – June) the weather is normally
fairly settled and warm (60-80 degrees F) but, as we’re ‘mountainous’ country, (around 2-3000ft above sea level – high for NZ ) the weather can change quick!
Q. What wildlife can I expect to see when hunting?
A. Apart from the animals you hunt (big and small game) NZ has a huge variation of birdlife – native and introduced. NZ has NO natural predators – coyotes,
dingos, wolves etc, and also pretty much has NO dangerous animals or critters. All the snakes are ‘across the ditch’ in Australia, everything kills you over there!
Q. Can I use my Bow to hunt with?
A. All of HUNTING DOWNUNDERS trophy animals can be obtained with bow & arrow. A lot of hunters like the option of hunting with their bow for a few days
but if they need to, use one of our rifles toward the end of the hunt.
Q. Am I hunting within a fenced area?
A. Depending on what and where you hunt, yes, you maybe. Most of the private land HUNTING DOWNUNDER operates on is still functioning high country farms (ranches), sheep and cattle are still grazed on the areas hunted so there are fences around. The deer generally stay within the high fence area but will jump out if pushed. ALL outfitters in NZ that provide hunts for trophy stags over 300SCI will be hunting/guiding within high fenced areas. The only reason stags can grow out to this quality is through management – which doesn’t happen in freerange areas as due to hunting pressure in NZ the Stags get shot out at young ages.