Free-Range Hunting In New Zealand with Southern Hunting Safaris

This month, we received our fifth positive hunting report on Southern Hunting Safaris (011-64-27-222-4495; www.southernhunting.co.nz) in New Zealand. It's from veteran hunter Ed Engelhardt, who hunted with SHS owner/guide Scott Thomson for 10 days in late May and early June. Engelhardt reports, "All aspects of the hunt were fantastic. All animals were free-range!!!" And, yes, he used three exclamation points. Continuing subscribers will be familiar with this operation. In 2005, Hunting Report New Zealand correspondent Greg Morton wrote that Thompson had acquired exclusive access to the 100,000-acre Mount Nicholas sheep and cattle station where red stag, fallow deer and chamois could all be hunted free-range (see Article ID 1551). Following that article, subscribers Alan Baier (Report ID 5556) and Gordon K. Green (Report ID 5421) checked in on successful hunts with this outfit in 2006; Donnie Young (Report ID 7684) followed in 2009. Earlier this year, Claude A. Alkire (report ID 8177) filed a report on a hunt this spring, and tells us he took a Silver Medal red deer stag. He gives the outfit across-the-board excellent ratings and says he "had a large number of animals to choose from and all were in excellent heath and condition." In the latest report, Engelhardt says he took red stag, fallow deer, chamois, tahr and wallaby. His hunt was strictly spot-and-stalk, but trucks and ATVs were used to reach hunting grounds. Engelhardt did not use a helicopter, although hunters can opt to do so. Not flying meant a great deal of hiking for Engelhardt, who says, "Every hunt was like a mountain hunt. A lot of the time we were at 6,000 feet and above." Engelhardt recommends that hunters be in top shape and says that losing 20 pounds before his hunt helped him have a better and more enjoyable hunt. Engelhardt has nothing but good things to say about his guide: "Scott Thomson will do anything he can to insure hunters get their trophies. He really goes above and beyond on all accounts." Engelhardt also credits Thomson with being an excellent chef and says the meals he and his wife ate were like those at a........(continued)