Game Animals
Capturing the Adventure
Red stags are just the beginning of the perfect New Zealand hunt. Tussock Ridge Expeditions offers something special for every hunter, with a wide variety of big and small game hunts to complement any trip.
Red Stag Hunts:
Southern Alps, South Island
Experience the ultimate New Zealand backcountry hunt for red stags in the remote Southern Alps. These expeditions are built for serious hunters seeking true mountain challenges—steep alpine ridges, dense bush, and the thrill of pursuing trophy stags in their natural habitat.
What to Expect
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Terrain & Effort: Steep high-country ridges and alpine basins. Long days on foot, often covering 50+km over a the hunt. Weather is unpredictable, with rapidly changing conditions at high altitude. Physical fitness and stamina are essential.
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Species & Timing: Red stags are hunted primarily from February through July. Early-season hunts take place outside the roar, when animals are settled and fewer hunters are in the mountains, while peak roar hunts occur during the rut, when stags are actively roaring and visible on ridgelines.
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Guiding & Expertise: Led by Ben, with 30 years of mountain hunting experience in New Zealand and backcountry guiding in Northern BC and the Yukon. Hunts are methodical, ethical, and designed for high success—leveraging terrain knowledge, animal behavior, and mountain conditions.
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Hunt Style: These are earned hunts. Hunters can expect a genuine high-country experience similar to a North American sheep hunt, where every opportunity is earned through effort, observation, and careful decision-making.
Logistics
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Duration: Typically 6–12 days, depending on client experience and terrain accessed
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Accommodation: Remote alpine tent-based backcountry camps
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Included: Guiding, planning, mountain expertise, field assistance, and trophy recovery
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Timing: February through July, coinciding with key rut periods. Hunts outside this window (November–January) are also available by request.
Alpine Hunts:
Bull Tahr & Chamois
Southern Alps, South Island
Tussock Ridge Expeditions offers true alpine hunts for bull tahr and chamois in New Zealand’s high country. These hunts are designed for hunters seeking backcountry adventure, combining steep ridges, rocky bluffs, and rugged alpine terrain with the challenge of pursuing two of the country’s most iconic alpine species.
What to Expect
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Terrain & Effort: There are two options for these hunts:
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Fly-in Base Camp: Typically a small wall tent with additional spike tents, allowing lighter-pack hunting from a central location. In some terrain, we are confined to a single massive basin, with animals moving down the faces in the evening. Depending on conditions, it may take as little as 1–3 hours to reach an animal, though longer approaches are possible when the opportunity demands it.2.
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Backpack-style expedition: Fly into a different area where multiple ridges and valleys can be covered. Hunters move to a new location each night, carrying packs and spiking out, for a true high-country adventure.
High-altitude ridgelines, alpine basins, and remote valleys are typical. Hikes are steep and long, often covering 20+ km over the course of a hunt. Terrain is rugged, exposure can be significant, and weather conditions are unpredictable, requiring fitness, sure-footedness, and stamina.
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Species & Timing:
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Bull Tahr: Year-round, with prime hunting May–July, when males have their winter coat, are visible on ridgelines, and display rutting behavior.
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Chamois: Year-round, with prime hunting May–July (winter coat and rut) and January–March (summer coat). Many hunters pursue both winter and summer trophies. Chamois are agile and elusive, requiring strategic spotting and precise stalking on steep terrain.
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Guiding & Expertise: Ben’s 30 years of mountain hunting and backcountry guiding in New Zealand and North America ensures safe, ethical, and highly productive hunts. His knowledge of alpine terrain, animal behavior, and mountain conditions allows clients to pursue both species confidently and effectively.
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Hunt Style: These are earned hunts. Success relies on observation, strategy, and mountain skill—much like a North American sheep hunt, where every opportunity is achieved through effort and preparation.
Logistics
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Duration: Typically 6–12 days
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Accommodation: Backcountry wall tent camps or tent-based spike camps
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Included: Guiding, planning, mountain expertise, field assistance, and trophy recovery
Sika Stag Hunts:
Central North Island
Tussock Ridge Expeditions offers backcountry sika stag hunts in the Central North Island, combining open tops, tussock ridges, and dense bush. These hunts are designed for hunters seeking challenging, rewarding stalking experiences across diverse terrain.
What to Expect
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Terrain & Effort: Hunts cover a mix of open ridgelines, tussock tops, and thick bush, requiring careful observation, stalking skill, and navigation. Daily hiking can range from moderate to long distances depending on terrain and quarry location. Physical fitness, patience, and bushcraft skills are essential.
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Species & Timing: Sika stags are hunted from mid-February through July. The rut (April–May) offers prime opportunities to hear and spot roaring stags on open tops.
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Guiding & Expertise: Led by Ben, with 30 years’ experience hunting sika and red stag in New Zealand and guiding backcountry hunts in North America. His expertise ensures hunters have the best chance for a fair-chase, ethical harvest, with thorough preparation and in-field guidance.
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Hunt Style: These are earned hunts, relying on stealth, observation, and precise decision-making. Hunters experience a true New Zealand bush-and-mountain adventure, comparable in challenge and skill to North American mountain sheep or deer hunts.
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Logistics
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Duration: 6–12 daysAccommodation: Backcountry tent camping
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Included: Guiding, planning, mountain expertise, field assistance, and trophy recovery
