After 15 years of continuous operation, Jamie Bell of Australia has sold the New Caledonian business arm of Jamie Bell Safaris to New Zealanders Colin and Alison Murray, who are now operating as Belle New Caledonia Safaris. Bell was long recognized as having access to some of the best free-range Java rusa stag properties on the island, so I wanted to profile the new broom in action and see how they’d measure up.
New Caledonia is one of the South Pacific’s most popular hunting destinations. It consists of a number of French-controlled islands located 1,700 kilometers north of New Zealand. The largest island, La Grande Terre, roughly 400 kilometers by 50 kilometers, is home to the main city Noumea and Tontouta International Airport. The main island is split down the middle by a mountain range reaching 1,630 meters at its highest point. The east coast faces the trade winds and is generally humid and wet, while the west coast is drier and more temperate. Most importantly, that is where the rusa deer are, particularly around the towns of La Foa, Boulouparis, Bourail and Poya.
Rusa deer were brought to New Caledonia from Java in 1870 as a gift to the governor, and today they number in the tens of thousands, hence the slogan “the best free-range hunting destination in the world.” Although New Zealand and Australia also have rusa deer, the largest trophies come from New Caledonia....
