- Joined
- Mar 8, 2014
- Messages
- 180
- Reaction score
- 170
- Website
- newzealandsafaris.com
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- 10
- Media
- 426
- Articles
- 14
- Member of
- New Zealand Professional guides assoc, Safari Club international, Dallas Safari Club, Wild sheep foundation, Houston Safari Club, SCI Master Measurer
- Hunted
- New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Canada, U.S.A
Morning everyone just wanted to introduce myself. Jim Gibson owner of New Zealand Safaris based in the central South Island of New Zealand.
Born and raised in the South I grew up as an avid hunter where it all began hunting deer & pigs for meat, then onto culling deer and selling the meat to game freezers for commercial export. Trophy hunting was very new to me later in life and it become clear to me I enjoyed hunting those older animals that were alot harder to get, and just getting out in the Hills and mountains away from everything else was just where I enjoyed being. I didn't actually mount my first animal until around 12 years ago after close on 30 years of hunting until that point. Fast forward to now, this year was the first year I hunted an old wild low fence Red stag in 17-20 years personally, although 6 years ago I took an exceptional free range Sambar Stag, and a few others to be fair around the world now.
These relationships I have formed over this a life time of hunting have really made a difference to what I built up to be New Zealand Safaris. I have been guiding for coming on 18 years now, starting my career with another very reputable Outfitter for 7 years I learnt the professional side of guiding which was a great grounding for me. Having been attending the major hunting shows in the US since 2007, guided and hunted there, Australia and a few other countries its been a an amazing journey to date, with one of the highlights last year being able to guide and spend time with Luke Combs away from the media it really was a pleasure and honor.
With the 2024 hunting season now just finishing its been another great year starting with DSC show early January, flying home early February and 1 week later we started our season to just finishing end of July its time to get some sleep in and look ahead and plan the coming shows.
I think what has really helped my business was the relationships I have built with the private land owners on these extensive Stations (ranches), which I still believe thats stands today no other Outfitter can offer the variety of private land hunting exclusive to New Zealand Safaris. Being able to offer hunts with many species low fence traditionally foot hunting, and having my own place for the huge Red stags, Elk, and Fallow buck gives hunters a really dynamic hunt. Not to mention living in a place that has world class scenery.
Born and raised in the South I grew up as an avid hunter where it all began hunting deer & pigs for meat, then onto culling deer and selling the meat to game freezers for commercial export. Trophy hunting was very new to me later in life and it become clear to me I enjoyed hunting those older animals that were alot harder to get, and just getting out in the Hills and mountains away from everything else was just where I enjoyed being. I didn't actually mount my first animal until around 12 years ago after close on 30 years of hunting until that point. Fast forward to now, this year was the first year I hunted an old wild low fence Red stag in 17-20 years personally, although 6 years ago I took an exceptional free range Sambar Stag, and a few others to be fair around the world now.
These relationships I have formed over this a life time of hunting have really made a difference to what I built up to be New Zealand Safaris. I have been guiding for coming on 18 years now, starting my career with another very reputable Outfitter for 7 years I learnt the professional side of guiding which was a great grounding for me. Having been attending the major hunting shows in the US since 2007, guided and hunted there, Australia and a few other countries its been a an amazing journey to date, with one of the highlights last year being able to guide and spend time with Luke Combs away from the media it really was a pleasure and honor.
With the 2024 hunting season now just finishing its been another great year starting with DSC show early January, flying home early February and 1 week later we started our season to just finishing end of July its time to get some sleep in and look ahead and plan the coming shows.
I think what has really helped my business was the relationships I have built with the private land owners on these extensive Stations (ranches), which I still believe thats stands today no other Outfitter can offer the variety of private land hunting exclusive to New Zealand Safaris. Being able to offer hunts with many species low fence traditionally foot hunting, and having my own place for the huge Red stags, Elk, and Fallow buck gives hunters a really dynamic hunt. Not to mention living in a place that has world class scenery.
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