Welcome to Canterbury Tahr Hunting Guiding
Come on an authentic New Zealand guided hunt with me, John Royle, for trophy Tahr, Chamois, Red Deer, Feral Goats and Wallabies. All of hunts are for free range animals only (no farm bred trophies).
John Royle, NZ Hunting Guide
I have over 17 years of experience as a professional hunter – 13 of which as a government culler hunting many types of game all over New Zealand.
“When you hunt with me you will benefit from a wealth of local hunting knowledge. I know the best areas to hunt and where to find the animals that live there, enabling me to maximise your chances of success”. John Royle, NZ Hunting Guide
I believe successful trips are also about having great memories of your hunting trip, as well as giving you the opportunity to get a trophy animal. The country I will take you into has no fences, is breathtaking and generally has good numbers of animals.
As your New Zealand hunting guide I will do my utmost best to help you procure trophies, but the animals I will take you after are wild and not confined to a small area by 6 foot high fences meaning much will depend on luck, your level of fitness and shooting ability. What I can guarantee is that you will have a great time.
What New Zealand offers the overseas hunter
One of the major differences in hunting game animals in New Zealand compared to overseas hunting is that you can hunt all introduced game animals all year round and shoot as many as you like of either sex. This constant hunting pressure makes our game animals so much harder to hunt (and why you need a guide with local knowledge). Contrast this with places like the US or Europe, where animals are indigenous and tags are brought or balloted for a few animals over a very short season.
As your hunting guide I will choose the hunting area and the time of the hunt. During the day I’ll lead the party out in search of the quarry, assesses any animals seen, their trophy potential and plan the stalk. Many overseas hunters have never crossed a river before coming to New Zealand so I will teach you safe river crossing techniques. Back at camp I’ll cook the meals as well as other camp duties required. However, I actively encourage my clients to get involved in these duties as part of the overall experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost?
All of our hunts are charged on a daily rate (I can take up to 3 hunters at one time on the same rate plus expenses) with NO TROPHY FEE.
What rifles should I bring?
I recommend that you bring your usual deer hunting rifle that you are most conformable using. I have rifles available for hire for a small fee if required.
What else should I bring?
Warm hunting rain coat, binoculars, sleeping bag, as well as other general camp gear. If in doubt just ask and I can email you a gear list.
How long are the trips for?
For Tahr, Chamois and deer you need to allow a minimum of 5 days per species. In the wild they don’t tend to live in the same paddock. For other games species only a day or to is necessary.
What will the terrain be like and how fit do I have to be?
Where I take you depends on your level of fitness and age. What I do recommend is that hunters take on a fitness training program before they come here. Not only is this necessary to get to the animals but also you will want to enjoy your time here. For the hunter on a limited time frame we can tailor a shorter trip for you.
Client Feedback: “It is a physical hunt, one that you need to be in good shape.With that said you wont find a harder working guy than John Royle. These bull Tahr live in some very steep and big country and you need to be prepaired both mentally and physically. Just getting into the country can be an adventure, driving up an old glacier-made river bottom with at times, no sign of a road. The food was good and the scenery fantastic. As with any mountain hunt the weather can change fast and there might be some unhuntable days. This is the real deal and the costs are extremely reasonable.” J.C.Hover & Ryan Owens, Mike Waddell, Phoenix Arizona, U.S.A.