A red stag’s large size (average weight of 400lb) and huge antlers give him immense presence and make red stags the most sought-after species for hunters visiting New Zealand.
Unlike elk, no two red stags are the same. This means that you can come and hunt at Poronui and secure a very unique red stag trophy. Generally aggressive in nature, these animals aren’t shy and can be found roaming the Poronui hills. Despite their size, they’re particularly mobile, especially when defending their harem.
The Poronui landscape has a varied range of cover, native beech forest, eucalyptus plantations, native mānuka and scrub, plus large areas of open tussock and native grass. The red stags utilize the trees to help strip their velvet and color their new-season antlers. Most hunters would agree, the sight of a mature red stag with well-stained antlers is hard to refuse.
Red stags are available to hunt from early February until early August, when they cast their antlers.
The rut period starts around 20 March until the end of April. During this time, what we call ‘the roar’, the red stags are very vocal and generally very active, which makes the hunting exciting. They secure groups of females and endeavor to keep all the competition away.
Backcountry fly fishing is also available at this time, making March the most popular season for red stag hunting and fishing packages at Poronui.
The price of a New Zealand red stag trophy is determined by the SCI score, with prices starting from US$3,500.
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