When is the Best Time of Year to Hunt Red Stag in New Zealand?

When is the Best Time of Year to Hunt Red Stag in New Zealand?

The hunting season at Poronui runs from late February through to early August.

This is often the first thing that North American hunters need to understand about hunting in New Zealand: our calendar is inverted, so our Fall is across March and April – and with it, the Red Stag Roar reaches its peak.

So when the deer season back home is winding down, and hunting back home is giving way to winter, New Zealand is just hitting its stride.

Let’s take a walk through the months and seasons here on the Estate, and the different experiences available so that you can make the most of your hunting time here.

February and Early March: The Red Stag hunt begins

This marks the opening of the season, with stags in hard antler and peak condition from a summer of feeding. For hunters who want to spot and stalk animals across the open country and make a considered decision on a trophy in excellent shape, this is a great time to come. Plus, your time here can be easily combined with other summer activities such as hiking, mountain (e)biking, and horseriding.

Mid-March through April: The New Zealand Red Roar

Puffed up with testosterone and looking at the colder months ahead, the Roar (or rut) hits full swing. Stags that have spent months in bachelor groups become aggressive and territorial, signalling their virility with fights and their signature barks, groans and roars.

Stags tend to be less cautious during this time, active through the middle of the day, and often respond to calling. The drama, noise and raw energy of the Roar in New Zealand is unlike any other experience in North American hunting, and has to be experienced to be believed.

May, June, July: Deliberate stalking for that trophy Red

The Roar has faded, and Reds have calmed down, focusing their energy on feeding as the weather cools. They’ll often be spotted travelling predictable patterns between cover and open ground.

This all makes for a very different kind of hunt, giving experienced hunters a chance to glass and pattern an animal for a deliberate and satisfying stalk.

By the second week of August, the season has come to a close: the big stags will have begun dropping their antlers, concluding the trophy hunt for most – and giving the animals a chance to save and replenish their conditioning for the season to come.

A great experience any time

While the Roar for Reds tapers off towards the end of April, Sika, Fallow and Rusa deer make themselves known at this time with their own respective Roars, making April and May an excellent time to collect multiple trophy animals in one hunt.

The pheasant shooting season also runs from May through to mid-August, making for a great companion experience for later-season hunting.

While backcountry fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout is available from October, the March overlap with the Red Stag Roar makes that month a popular option for hunters who want a ‘cast and blast’ experience in one location.

Choosing the right time to come to Poronui depends on what you want from your hunt. The most important decision is to talk to the team at Poronui about what matters to you, and we’ll help you find the right window so that your time here is truly memorable.