As a consultant for hunting and one of the owners of Global Sporting Safaris, Inc., I helped hundreds of hunters take their first New Zealand Red deer hunting trip. The question most frequently asked is “what is the best time to hunt deer in New Zealand? The information contained in this article is based on my firsthand experience. I chased the red deer “Roar” in New Zealand and Argentina. I also hunted red deer out of the rumor in New Zealand.

The biggest draw for hunting in New Zealand is the Red Deer, also known as the Red Stag. Most TV Shows outdoors, hunting magazine articles and reports of hunting focus their criticism on hunting during the “Roar”. The Roar is the vocal sound to the deer during their rut of the same nature, but completely different from the Rocky Mountain Elk. The “Roar” extends generally around the third week of March in the fourth week of April. This period may vary + / – 7 to 10 days by the weather. If New Zealand is a cold front in early March, it can accelerate Roar.

Red Deer hunting in the Roar is an exciting time for hunting and should be experienced at least once in the life of a hunter. Red Deer stags will roar around the clock. During this period, deer concentrate on their territories, hinds (female red deer) and other deer. A shot in the typical Roar may be less than 100 meters. The Roar is also the best time to bow hunting Red Deer. A good guide should be able to get the bow hunter in the 25 to 40 meters from its target. Stores and skins can also be set up on the mud wallows and trails offering plans within 35 yards.

Weather during the Roar as is usually the beginning of September in the Rocky Mountains. Expect to be cool in the morning, usually in the low 40 and high temperatures in the upper 70 and 80, maybe even lower.
Red Deer Hunting can be done both on the North Island and South America from late February to mid-August. In most cases, the red deer velvet will be around the 20th of February. The last ten days of February and the first two weeks of March, the red deer is in the best physical appearance of the year and should not have broken or missing teeth wood. Red deer antlers begin to fall around the third to fourth week of August. Red Deer in New Zealand start fighting with other deer, usually shortly after the first seven to ten days of April. The hunters will begin to see broken teeth from this time until the end of August. These deer have been known to fight so hard with the other deer, they have actually broken the wooden plaque skull exposing the brain of deer. When this happens, the deer usually dies shortly thereafter.

That said, the best time to greet the red deer during the Roar, from late March to late April. Most premium red deer hunting “roar” dates are the first ten days of April. Late February and early March and the best time to hunt deer rifle red and also a great time of year to add a bit of New Zealand fly fishing on the side. Red Deer may be hunted with a rifle during the noise, but wait it easier to hunt normal with most plans probably less than 100 meters. Red Deer hunting becomes more difficult from May to August, with average shots in the courtyard of 150-200 range.

The first week of June usually brings the first snow of the season. Morning temperatures average in the middle of over 30 degrees and highs in the mid 50s to low 60′s. In late May, June and July to better reproduce the late fall and winter hunting we can live in the United States. It is also a great time to mix a red deer hunting or hunting Tahr Chamois. Cold weather in late May began the rut Tahr and is also responsible for Tahr and Chamois to put their winter coats for deeper color. The “lion as” Tahr’s mane will be at full length during this time of year.

There are two ways to hunt red deer in New Zealand. The first is known as “hunting area.” Property hunts are organized on large ranches or stations closed. These stations are usually quite large, from 2,500 hectares to 20,000 hectares or more. The fence helps farmers manage livestock and genetics and also to keep hunters and poachers. management of red deer in New Zealand has allowed the country to develop the largest red deer in the world. There were two New Zealand red deer harvested in 2009 more than six hundred (600) inches and one was over 650 inches. All class trophy red deer in New Zealand come from estates or Ranches. Fences on these stations to eliminate the term “free range” but not just run. Most of these properties are extremely large and the terrain and flora to these hunts just as difficult as a free hunt.

True hunting deer without a red zone in New Zealand is available on government and private property. These properties can contain cattle fence, but that does not just red deer jump over them and move freely about. Free zone red deer are much smaller in size than the antlers estate. Free range trophy deer on private property are 10 to 14 points and scored 220 to 275 inches. Due to hunting pressure and no real red deer season, the public properties see deer much smaller than those on private property. It is very rare to see a “real” free range deer over 300 inches. Some owners will publish 300 inches more red deer on their properties in fields. These deer can usually be identified after the harvest by finding holes in the ears which a tag used to be.

With the general hunting seasons big game in New Zealand in August and closed the season in the United States for big game from September, the red deer in New Zealand is a great way to extend your season big game hunting.
Kennerknecht Rick is one of seven consultants hunting and fishing with travel agents Global Sport Safaris (GSS). All ESG has over 175 combined years of red deer hunting, red stag hunting, red stag hunting new zealand and fishing experience. Global Sporting Safaris invests time, effort and financial resources to the development of our U.S. and International outfitters and guides for a constant eye on the services they offer.