NEW ZELAND: New Zealand Tahr & Red Stag

I just returned from a New Zealand tahr hunt for myself and a red stag hunt for my father.
While in New Zealand the wife planned us a tour of Milford sound. New Zealand is a beautiful place.
We spent a few days in Queenstown, what a fun city to spend a couple days pre and post hunt. The outfitter did amazing job, one of the best if not the best i used anywhere, food was amazing, lodging in a dome was very neat, even had heated bathroom floor that the wife really liked.
My tahr hunt was a couple hour drive from base camp, it had 3 wall tents, guide tent with cooking gear and I would guess 2 hunter tents, it was just guide and myself, so the other tent never got opened. Outside of tahr camp was one big mountain and one serious climb. My guide spotted the bull we were going to take and the hike and climb was on. The bull bedded nose in the wind mid-day and we climbed above him and stalked to 30yds. After the shot my guide said that was proper hunting, that was the use of skill and hard work. He was very correct, his skill was on full display, but i wouldn't have complained about a 300-400 yard and a lot less walking and climbing. Never would i of guessed a tahr shot would be that close, when we peaked the ridge, he was bedded under and guide said he right there, i was looking way passed him, i was looking in the 100-200yd range. When i said i don't see him, guide said he right there you can see his mane blowing in the wind, and at that moment i realized right there really did mean right there. We had a strong wind that covered are noise really well.
Was also very lucky to shoot a camp/staff meat fallow doe, fallow deer steaks was dinner on the first day. It was very good.

The mass on that red stag

1LuckySOB said:

The mass on that red stag

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I believe it scored mid bronze, the brow tines splitting was what they liked. Guide said the don't see that very often.

Awesome, those tahr are fun to hunt up in the clouds. I made a trip there back in 2024, planning to go back next year.

tkatzzz said:

Awesome, those tahr are fun to hunt up in the clouds. I made a trip there back in 2024, planning to go back next year.

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Funny you mention clouds. As we were making are way around the mountain one cloud came in and it got foggy for 5-10 minuets. we were still long way off, so it didn't bother us or cost us a chance at a shot or the ability to glass just cool thing to have happen.

What outfit did you hunt with?

I know someone would ask. I use a Bullseye outdoor adventures a hunting consultant (pm and ill give contacts cell number) to book my hunts and my loyalty is to him. So on referrals that's the info i can give. I have used him for Africa, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, and now New Zealand, and working on my next hunt. The outfitter sees some tv hunting traffic but took care of my group really well, we are defiantly small fish, i would 100% book again and plain to. The DOMEs the outfitter had to stay in where awesome. Sorry i cant tell more if i had book the hunt on my own i would share any and all info.