Mark Corrao’s Poronui Experience

Mark Corrao’s Poronui Experience

Mark Corrao is the owner and CIO for Northwest Management Inc., a natural resources consulting firm in Moscow, Idaho, that supports forest stewardship, reduces wildfire exposure, and expedites policy-compliance documentation. He visited Poronui for the first time in 2023, and brought his Alaska adventure friends to experience the 2024 rut.

Hunting has been more of a subsistence and adventure experience for my family and I. I was born and raised in Idaho, and have hunted and worked outside all my life. Most years we hunt local game in the northwestern U.S., and every few years we travel to Alaska for an unguided DIY adventure with four close friends, usually pursuing caribou or moose. Those have been some amazing experiences, and that group is what spurred my interest for a hunting adventure in the southern hemisphere.

I’ve always worked alongside forestry and the infusion of technology into that industry, and those two disciplines are being practiced in New Zealand. During a work trip to the North Island, I learned of Poronui – partly in connection with Westervelt in the U.S. forest industry.

I had visited the Westervelt office in the U.S. southeast in 2023 and was impressed by their stewardship ethic, infusion of Japanese architectural design into the facility, and stunning art collection throughout the offices. It made a lasting impression on me. Later, as I traveled to New Zealand for work to support the forestry industry and our Māori partners, Westervelt’s North Island ownership came up in conversation as a place that offered far more than a simple “high-fence harvest” experience.

I decided to look into Poronui and many others around New Zealand as I had always wanted to experience the “roar” of a red stag season and hunt in such a new environment. I chose Poronui because of the people I spoke with—their genuine interest in providing a true hunt rather than just a harvest. I wanted to pursue a red stag, a trophy sika stag, enjoy some renowned New Zealand fishing, and be immersed in the local environment.

When an opening aligned with a business trip to Rotorua in 2023, my wife and I signed up for a guided stag hunt. It was our first, somewhat impromptu experience at Poronui. Darrin was our guide, and we immediately connected with him and his natural-resource background, rural upbringing, and pleasantly calm demeanor. That hunt remains one of my most memorable experiences: the hiking and stalking that led to the red stag I harvested, and later, the hours of seek-and-find that resulted in a fantastic shot on a trophy sika stag. We also fell in love with the other staff, including the chefs who invited us into the kitchen and made us feel like family as we cooked tenderloins after our successful hunt!

This inspired us to return in 2024 with my Alaska adventure friends and their wives. While my friends and I hunted, the team arranged a heli-wine tour for my wife, mother, and our friends’ wives in Hawke’s Bay. And the trout fishing was the most epic any of our group had ever encountered.

If you’re looking for a customised hunting adventure for red deer, sika, or fallow, Poronui has everything—including our preferred spot-and-stalk style. The lodge feels like a five-star retreat set apart from the bustle of business life, allowing you to shed day-to-day stress while staying connected on Wi-Fi when needed.

The lodge, food and creekside cabins are top-notch with the feel of a country chic elegance. However, none of that would stand out if it were not for the staff. Their staff are the heart of the experience. From the Reservations team at booking, through the cooks, helicopter pilots, fishing guides, hunting guides, and housekeeping it is clear they are like a family and take pride in sharing everything they offer. That is the Poronui “experience”.