NZ Hunter

New Zealand’s premier hunting and outdoor magazine . For everything hunting - adventures, tips, how-tos, and reviews of the latest products. A great read with something for everyone.

NZ Hunter

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Living the DREAM Part Two • It was the 28th of March 2024, and only three days into our trip, Jeremy had already secured a nice chamois and I had taken a superb public land Red stag

RIPPER ROAR 2024 PART 2 • AFTER A SOLID STINT IN THE BUSH FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF THE ROAR, ARRIVING HOME WAS BLOODY GOOD. A MUCH NEEDED SHOWER WAS ON THE CARDS AND A CATCH UP WITH THE FAMILY BEFORE WE TOOK OFF BACK DOWN TO THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND FOR ROUND TWO

NORTH ISLAND BUSH ROAR • My 2024 roar was an absolute North Island classic. Bush stags from start to finish - Pureora, Urewera and Kaimanawa

John DeLury Rakiura Hunter Camp Trust • The Rakiura Hunter Camp Trust (RHCT) has transformed the hunting infrastructure on Stewart Island, creating a network of huts that provide safe, weatherproof shelters for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts alike

SUBSONIC HUNTING 45 Colt, 45/70 and 300 Blackout • It all began ten years ago with a late-night Trade Me purchase of a New England Survivor Rifle in 45 Colt

ROARING STAGS of MARLBOROUGH • With a rather leisurely start to Friday morning after the Easter weekend, we didn’t put tyre to pavement until after 9 am, as we were going to miss the morning hunt regardless

STEWART ISLAND ADVENCHUR LITTLE KURI • FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, A FEW BOYS AND I HAVE BEEN HEADING DOWN TO DO AN ANNUAL HUNTING, FISHING AND DIVING TRIP ON STEWART ISLAND AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE BEST ADVENTURES OF OUR LIVES.

Looking at droppings • Little excites a hunter more than chancing upon fresh animal droppings – it means something is close by!

The LEARNING CURVE • After our successful first hunt (covered in Issue 103), I was eager to get Maia out again and find out if it was just a fluke

Persistence Pays Off • Growing up on the West Coast, hunting has always been a part of my life and something I've been passionate about since I was young

GAME ANIMAL COUNCIL NEWS • Prepare for a safe and successful roar this year

Black One Year On Patience Rewarded • As the waterlogged winter of 2023 gradually gave way to a mild spring, then transitioned into a dry, parched summer, pig-hunting took a back seat for us in the far north

LORD RIVER TAHR BALLOT BLOCKS • Sandwiched between the main divide and the glaciated Lord Range and flowing into the mighty Lambert River, the Lord Valley is one of the more northern tahr ballot landing sites

ROARING BILLY HUT • Roaring Billy Hut is one of a number of remote low-use huts that are maintained by locals or high-country community groups

SWAROVSKI Z5+ • Swarovski’s “Kiwi Special” has had a mighty revamp! The Z5 3.5-18x44 BT has arguably been the best serious all range mountain hunting rifle scope for some time now

NOCPIX VISTA H35R FINDER ACE H50R SCOPE • Only a year ago I carried out a review of the Infiray FH35R V2 finder and the TL35 V2 scope, for this magazine. It is amazing to think that only a year has passed in light of the advances in technology around thermal equipment since then

VOLCON GRUNT EVO • With off-road electric vehicles now widely available on the New Zealand market, many of us in the outdoor and hunting communities are curious about how the pros and cons stack up against the way we currently do things

Partners in the Field MASTERING THE MARK • For those of us who hunt with dogs, there is a significant moment: the gun fires, the bird tumbles; perhaps regaining some flight or glide time - before arcing toward the ground

NZ Hunter’s 50 QUICK TIPS For Opening...