New Zealand in May

[RatRodMike]

Okay, my dreams have finally come true.  I’m heading to New Zealand for a DIY hunt in May.  I’m taking the family but I’ll be the only one hunting.  Just a boy and his gun.

I’m hoping to get some advice about bringing back capes, horn and antlers on the airlines.  I’ve read a lot and have some ideas but I’m always looking for more information.  Anyone have DIY experience with bringing back their trophies?

[redi]

No experience Here  but I want to go also. What outfitter Are you going with? Best of luck

[RatRodMike]

I'm not using an outfitter.  Just getting on a plane with my Winchester and heading to the land down under the land down under.
The hunting permit is free and takes only a couple of minutes to get.  The firearm permit is more involved but only costs $25NZ.

[HillHound]

Not from there, but flying our moose antlers and meat back from Alaska was way cheaper being a “known shipper”. Rates per lb were way less and was the only way to get anything in the cold holding on the plane. Hopefully someone has done this hunt down there and can chime in. Sounds like a blast! Good luck

[RatRodMike]

Thanks man.  I appreciate the info.  I'll check to see if there's any differences in shipping from NZ.

[30.06]

I have heard from guys that tuna fish on long range boats outta San Diego about "registering as a known shipper" to fly their fish home cheap as possible.
 The airline shipping office Not being open on Labor Day surprised some people, disrupted plans, and added expense. JIC you might be traveling back on Memorial day.

Have a blast with the Winchester, definitely have NZ on my own dream list for a one-time fishing and hunting trip. Heard nothing but great things about the game laws, hunt opportunities, smart trout, fun people, and adventures to be had. A buddy worked at McMurdo and they always got to go to the South Island to warm up and unwind.

[Smokeploe]

The wife and I were down there a couple of years ago, on a tour the bunch of us booked.  I talked to the bus driver, who is also a hunter,  he told me that the best way to hunt down there if you don’t have local connections is to get with a guide.  The locals have everything locked up and tight.  Yes you can go into the back country, but the RED STAGS threat are the big boys are not native.  Yes there are a few that have escaped and made it to the  wilds.  There are no native deer to New Zealand, only what has been imported in.  Start checking for hunts in preserves, many thousands of acres, they have guided and self guided hunts.  I don’t know the costs but time verses cost in knowing that there are animals there?  On the South Island where all the hunting is done we saw hundreds of stags with racks that are massive!  The lower half of the South Island as the driver told me is the best area to get a good trophy!   Also little info,  stop at a local das station and get some of the hand pies!  They are drool worthy!  We started our tour in Queenstown.  There are massive Stag farms about 1 hour south! 

Good luck and enjoy your trip
Smokeploe

[Wanttohuntmore]

Good luck,  this sounds fun!  I'd do some fly fishing for trout too!  I can easily see myself hanging out there for a month or two.  Regarding shipping call a small logistics company to get some quotes before your trip.

[Skillet]

I'm a known shipper on AK Air, have been for a long time.  While I know the intentions are good, there's some incorrect info reported here. Also, it's a hassle (and relatively expensive) to get signed up for a single shipment. 

If it were me doing this trip,  I'd go with a commercial shipper.   One of the best I've used is Alaska Air Forwarding out of Tukwila, they have an international division.

https://www.worldcargosvc.com/

Nothing besides checking it as luggage is going to be cheap, though. Best get your mind around that from the outset.

Good luck on your hunt-

[RatRodMike]

Good luck,  this sounds fun!  I'd do some fly fishing for trout too!  I can easily see myself hanging out there for a month or two.  Regarding shipping call a small logistics company to get some quotes before your trip.

A flyfishing friend of mine got stuck down there during Covid.  He didn't suffer too bad..

[RatRodMike]

I'm a known shipper on AK Air, have been for a long time.  While I know the intentions are good, there's some incorrect info reported here. Also, it's a hassle (and relatively expensive) to get signed up for a single shipment. 

If it were me doing this trip,  I'd go with a commercial shipper.   One of the best I've used is Alaska Air Forwarding out of Tukwila, they have an international division.

https://www.worldcargosvc.com/

Nothing besides checking it as luggage is going to be cheap, though. Best get your mind around that from the outset.

Good luck on your hunt-

My family is going with me so I'll have a lot of checked bag capacity I think.

[Torrent50]

I went thru a shipping company.  I was told that everything coming in now has to clear USDA, Customs, and WDFW.  If USDA flags it then it can only be released to a USDA approved taxidermist.  There are only 3 of them in WA.  I had it arranged to use Trapline Taxidermy for this, but lucked out and didn't get mine flagged.

[RatRodMike]

I went thru a shipping company.  I was told that everything coming in now has to clear USDA, Customs, and WDFW.  If USDA flags it then it can only be released to a USDA approved taxidermist.  There are only 3 of them in WA.  I had it arranged to use Trapline Taxidermy for this, but lucked out and didn't get mine flagged.

I've heard of skulls getting flagged because they're not properly cleaned and dried.  It can get expensive quick going through a USDA approved taxidermist.

[bearpaw]

I've hunted NZ and AU extensively on multiple trips, sometimes DIY and sometimes with guides. Most guides have arrangements with an exporter, a DIY hunter will need to locate an exporter, they will take care of shipping your trophies back. That's the easiest and safest way. Before you go you need to arrange with a USDA licensed importer here in the US and find your exporter in NZ. Then when you drop off trophies all you have to do is give the exporter in NZ the info for your importer here in the US.

Google this to find importers: "USDA taxidermy importers in Washington state"

To transport trophies yourself this is a good read, pay special attention to the part highlighted in blue. I would suggest calling the number on the bottom of the page and ask if you can personally import the species you will be hunting: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/guidanceforhunters.pdf

I have transported and imported my own trophy back in the past, but it's risky. One time to save driving to an exporter I transported a Sambar cape and antlers back from AU in my baggage. I trimmed and then soaked the skull cap in peroxide for a few days to disinfect and cleaned it again and made sure there was no tissue on it, I also fleshed clean and salted the cape for several days. I wrapped the cape in plastic with some salt still on it and put it and the antlers in my baggage. No problem leaving the country, upon arrival in Los Angeles I reported what I was carrying and was inspected by a special customs agent. I explained how I treated the skull cap and hide and I was allowed to keep them and move forward. However, if for any reason it was denied they can just confiscate whatever they want.

There was a taxidermist in Waimate and another exporter in Christchurch that I have used to ship DIY trophies back, I can't remember the guy's name in Christchurch, but here's the other guy:
Craig Dempster Taxidermy Artist
Bathgates Road R D 10, Waimate, New Zealand
PH 0-3-689 1377

I never used an exporter on the north Island, but I'm sure there are some there.

There is a lot of areas and species you can hunt on your own, but you need to be in areas with good populations of your target species. If you need more info for the species you want to hunt you could check with DOC, Dept of Conservation, be sure to ask if there have been any recent eradication efforts where you will be hunting, no sense going to an area where hundreds of animals have been removed by shooters in choppers, you can google their number.

If you have time ask some landowners for permission to spotlight and shoot fur possums, wallabies, or hares, it is a blast doing that, your family might enjoy it too. It's perfectly legal on private ground. On the north Island Taupau has a lot of family activities, on the south Island Quuenstown has a lot of family activities. On the west side of the south Island you can take chopper flights around MT Cook and the southern Alps.

No matter where you go or what you do, NZ is a blast. Have fun!