A bit of history is in order before I continue. New Zealand is known as a quality domestic sheep producer, and at its peak the country had 77 million sheep to three million people. The present number of sheep has dropped to less than 40 million, but that is still about 10 sheep per person. As early as the 1880s, large numbers of animals had gone wild, and in some remote parts of New Zealand free-range sheep species now exist. The various flock's isolation meant their original gene pool stayed quite pure.
There are 11 flocks in New Zealand that are considered to be feral herds, and the animals in them can loosely be classified as being of two types - white sheep and black sheep. Some areas contain flocks of both types. The two most common names given to these animals are Spanish and Arapawa sheep. The white Spanish animal is descended from the Merino breed, while the black Arapawa breed gets its name from a local island where the original animals were first established. The latter commonly has a white blaze running down its forehead. Both types produce spiraling horns. Many enclosure outfitters offer hunts for these animals, but to take what is locally recognized as an authentic Grand Slam, one must hunt them on their home range under fair chase conditions.
One of the 11 historical locations for wild sheep is the Waianakarua River, located on Glencoe Station in North Otago, South Island. One outfitting operation has exclusive rights to hunt there. The company is called Central South Island Guide to Hunting, and it runs a selection of free-range trophy hunts. Their emphasis is on providing trophies outside the wire. This property has both varieties of sheep, and the quality of the trophies is outstanding........(continued)
