Not surprisingly, a good free-range chamois block (animal range) is considered a goldmine in New Zealand. It's something outfitters seek out almost desperately. One lucky outfitter in that regard is James Gray. He has one of the best blocks in New Zealand. It is exclusive to him and has good numbers of animals, plus it is blessed with vehicle tracks that allow him to tansport clients up high and drop down on animals from above.
The really good news here is that Gray does not charge a trophy fee for his chamois hunts, and he hires his services at $450 (US) a day. Guided chamois hunting doesn't get any cheaper in this country, especially when you consider that this fee includes not just guiding service, but accommodation, transport and food. You can reach James Gray at Flaxmere Downs.
Last year, Gray had a 100 percent success rate, with seven clients taking seven animals. These were trophy animals, too, with the best approaching the 11-inch mark. A nine-inch-plus animal is considered the benchmark for a good, representative chamois trophy. Gray recommends clients schedule five to seven days for their chamois hunt, as alpine weather, extensive binocular glassing, the elusive nature of chamois in general and selection of a trophy all suck up time.
So how many animals does Gray have on his block? The best tally seen in a single day was 30. The average kiwi hunter would be lucky if he........(continued)
