Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Australia Queenstown, New Zealand

Anyone have any info on the Queenstown area? Will be visiting my daughter there next year around September or October. Would like to do some hunting if it's not too expensive, but otherwise I would like to do some hiking around the mountians. Would appreciate any info on the area.
Thanks

Get the Lonely Planet guide for New Zealand. They also publish a Trekking New Zealand guide. Outstanding mountain hut system. I like the South Island more than the North Island. Highly recommend Gerald Telford www.flyfishhunt.com.nz for fly fishing and hunting.

Go to www.fishnhunt.co.nz. get on there , intoduce yourself.
Tell a story about a hunt or a hike, you've done.
Explain what you are up to , maybe explain what you could do for someone should they come over your way.s some good guys on there , They should point you in the right direction.
You could even get offers to go hunting

Big game seasons are on now so you may have to chase hares, cats and feral goats. You'll arrive in early spring there. I was in Queenstown last April but only for one night.

Chamois and Tahr aren't too far away. Creeks around Fox glacier
apparently hold chamois that can be accessed by walking in off the main road

I don"t know much about the hunting there, but I can tell you it's very beautiful there. It on the shore of a large, beautiful lake whose name escapes me at the moment.

You must visit Monty's restaurant, for Red Deer and Green lipped mussels, washed down with Montieth's Black Ale. Pure heaven!

+1 on Monteith's beer. There are several flavors and most all are excellent. My favorite is Monteith's Original.

Lake Wakatipu.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wakatipu

Queenstown is a little touristy for me. Give Wanaka a try.

And do this if you're really adventuresome. My Wife and thought it the single most exciting day we've ever spent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wypb1YMTP3s

Folks here are correct about the excellent hiking/huts/hunting not far away - we saw the game. Don't know about the permit/fee/guide requirements - private land hunting may be simpler.

The area is beautiful - caught fish in the lake and a few kilos out of town on a nice stream that feeds in - for a while fished off a road bridge. BUT - compared to the fascinating and lovely towns and open country experienced in most of the rest of the southern half of the South Island (in a rented MoHome), Queenstown itself was disappointingly touristy - venues, restrictions and prices.

Public land hunting permits are free from D O C. No guide requirements.

Man there are some world class hikes there. If you like to hike you can do the Milford track. Routburn hike. You can bungy jump there is a lot to do. Hunting unless you know a local is expesive venture but doable. I have been down to New Zealand about 5 times we were in Queenstown last December. I was not aware there was a season. My next trip down I will be hunting with some locals. It helps that my wife is a kiwi.

Nothing is simpler than hunting in NZ and it is not expenisive at all. All you need is petrol, backpack and a rifle.
If you drive over to the West Coast and hike up just about any West coast river you will find deer, tahr, chamois.
The huts are public, anyone can stay.

There are no seasons for hunting. All you need is a free permit from Dept of Conservation, which you can get online. For firearm you need a visators permit which you get on arrival at the airport from the police for $25. Thats it.

Queenstown itself is a tourist trap. Get out to there as soon as possible. Everywhere else is just as pretty, and a lot cheaper

+1 on Wanaka. Great area and not so touristy. For those who visit NZ for the first time, be sure and get a pie. Not a cherry or apple, but a meat pie. The best things since cold beer...I normally get beef and mushroom. It's a good thing NZ is so far from where I live, or I'd be a life-sized version of the Pillsbury doughboy.