Hunting in Otago

Otago is high-country hunting at its most iconic: schist tussock ranges, big river valleys, and open tops that make it some of the best free-range red stag country in New Zealand. It is also the country's fallow stronghold, with the Blue Mountains near Tapanui famous for the croak, the fallow rut in April, managed through a balloted block system. Red stag peaks through the autumn roar, and chamois and tahr are within reach on the alpine fringe toward the Southern Alps. Guided hunts run on both private stations and public conservation land, and an operator can take the access puzzle off your plate.