# Trip to Kiwi Land



## JuddCT

So I just got back from a trip of a lifetime to New Zealand and I thought I'd share some pictures. My parents, my siblings and all our spouses were able to go.

This is a trip we have planned for about two years and finally were able to go for 2 whole weeks. The first four days were scheduled for hunting and we were going after Red Stag.

It was a beautiful area on the north island that we just loved.
















































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## JuddCT

There were plenty of stags to be seen as well as Sika and Fallow Deer.




















































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## JuddCT

My wife was the first to draw blood on an excellent Stag. We spotted him from a large knoll overlooking a dense foliage of manuca that the stags like to stay in before they feed in the open meadows. We stalked into 250 yards and she took a solid rest and dropped him with the first shot with our 7mm Rem Mag.

















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## swbuckmaster

Wow cool stag! 

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## JuddCT

I got a glimpse of a Stag on the very first night as he was running away moving into the thick Manuca brush. He had dark antlers and split thirds with nice kickers on each crown. As I watched him move into the brush out of sight I knew I wanted to come back and find him again.

I looked over many stags the second day but never got the itch to pull the trigger. My thoughts turned to the first Stag I saw and I wanted to find him again. We looked the rest of the day and couldn't find him. The next two days had very different weather patterns with the third day being the best (sunny) and the fourth day a large rain storm would move through. I knew my best opportunity would be the third day to find him.

That morning we glassed every hillsides near where I saw him the first night with no luck. I found another Stag that was in a bachelor group that was looking more appealing by the minute from a high knoll. He was also moving towards me. I set up on my shooting sticks and loaded a round in the 7mm Rem Mag and started ranging the opening I thought he would come out to. Luckily for me the bachelor group decided to bed down in the deep manuca where it was impossible to make a stalk so we decided to move on. In the way back for lunch we glassed one Stag that had been near the Stag I was looking for from the first night. Luck was with us as after looking through the spotter we could see him as well. We quickly made a plan and hiked the backside of he ridge he was on. As we crested we could see him feeding about 200 yards out perfectly broadside. That was all I needed and he went down in his tracks.
























More to follow on another night...

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## swbuckmaster

What beautiful photos! Awesome! 

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## Huge29

Not bad Juddy! looks fun!


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## longbow

Holy cow! That would be one awesome adventure. Great pictures and story. I'm jealous.


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## CPAjeff

Holy mother of awesomeness!! Thanks for sharing the pictures and some of your adventure with us. I'm looking forward to your next posts!


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## willfish4food

Pretty freaking cool! Thanks for sharing your adventure with us.


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3

Freaking awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing! 

I have a few questions...I'm assuming you used an outfitter? Is everything done on private land there? Is it hard to get the animal back home after? I've heard of some airlines boycotting hunters and refusing to transport their game.


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## Longgun

Wow! Looks like it was an epic trip, congratulations!


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## T-dubs-42

Absolutely amazing animals.


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## Dunkem

Oh my that is sure purty country!! Those stags are beautiful!!


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## JuddCT

As I said my siblings and their spouses went as well. Each of my brothers shot really cool stags and my sister shot a Sika (first big game animal) and took it down from 300 yards in a crosswind on a steep slope. I've blocked out their faces as I don't know if they want to be on the internet. My father's Stag was definitely amazing!


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## AF CYN

Incredible trophies. I really can't get over the antler configuration and red, red coats! Absolutely stunning!


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## JuddCT

After the hunting we had the opportunity to go to the South Island and visit Mt Cook. The best part was we took a helicopter ride up to the glacier and around the peaks. Impressive doesn't begin to describe the views.


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## sawsman

Awesome! 8)

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## kdog

That is a dream hunt for sure. jealous. Congrats on some great memories and beautiful trophies!


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## wyogoob

Wow.

Unreal scenery and big game animals. Thanks for sharing.

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## LostLouisianian

WOW.....is this heaven?


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## king eider

Very cool! Curious as to what the going cost for a stag hunt is these days? Mind sharing?


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## JuddCT

king eider PM sent.


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## 35whelen

amazing pictures! what an awesome trip. great stags


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## JuddCT

So now that I am waiting to get my Username back thanks to Wyogoob I should post our Stag Mounts. Enjoy.























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## 3arabians

Wow!!!!

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## wyogoob

Hey, check out your PMs.

uh...nice stags

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## CPAjeff

Gorgeous mounts!


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## JuddCT

I’m back!


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## callofthewild

what no pictures from the mines of moria or the shire? that would be an awsome adventure glad you got to make it happen.


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