There are certain places in the world that, no matter how many times you visit, never seem to lose their magic. For us, New Zealand is one of those places. This is our 6th trip to New Zealand's South Island hunting with Rachel Stewart and her team at Leithen Valley Hunts during one of the most exciting times of the year—the red stag roar. If you've never experienced the roar in person, it's difficult to describe. Hearing mature red stags roaring through the valleys and mountains is something that gets your heart racing before you ever lay eyes on an animal. This trip had everything we love about hunting: incredible country, big red stags, fallow bucks, bowhunting at close range, great friends, and most importantly, family. And as you'll see in this episode, not every hunt went according to plan.
Watch the Full New Zealand Hunt
New Zealand has always held a special place for us. The scenery alone is worth the trip, but when you combine that country with roaring red stags and the opportunity to hunt alongside the Stewart Family and our family and friends, it becomes an experience that's hard to match. We were hunting with our good friends Stacy and Melissa Stubbs of Superior Metal Buildings Inc., Jon Behrle and Jeremy Meads at Leithen Valley, and from the beginning of the trip, we knew we hit the roar absolutely perfect. That's exactly what we came for...roaring stags in the most picturesque place! During the roar, red stag hunting can become incredibly challenging especially when you have a bow in hand. Instead of simply spotting an animal at long distance, you're listening, calling, moving and trying to work your way into position while a stag is doing everything he can to defend his territory. For a bowhunter, there aren't many experiences quite like having a roaring red stag closing the distance.
A Hunt About More Than Antlers
There were some incredible red stags taken during this trip, including a massive 33-point stag, but some of our favorite moments had very little to do with the number of points on an animal. Having our kids there and watching them experience New Zealand was a huge part of this hunt for us. As parents, we've been fortunate to travel to some incredible places through hunting. But as the years go by, we've realized that some of the hunts that mean the most aren't necessarily the ones where Pat or myself pull the trigger. They're the ones where we get to stand back and watch our kids experience it. The anticipation. The nerves. The disappointments. And eventually, when everything comes together, the excitement. Those are the memories that last.
When a Hunt Doesn't Go According to Plan
There were tough breaks on this trip. There were opportunities that didn't work out. There were moments when it would have been easy to get frustrated and wonder whether another opportunity was ever going to happen. Carson's red stag hunt was a perfect example. He had to keep grinding and stay mentally in the game when things weren't going his way. Eventually, persistence put him in an incredible situation—deep in the timber with a massive red stag at close range. It's one of those encounters that reminds you exactly why we bow hunt. You'll have to watch the episode to see how it all unfolds.
Red Stags Weren't the Only Thing on the List
New Zealand is obviously famous for its red stag hunting, but we also wanted to spend some time pursuing another animal that makes this country such a unique hunting destination: the fallow buck. Fallow deer are completely different from the whitetails we're accustomed to hunting back home in the Midwest, and their distinctive palmated antlers make a mature buck an incredible trophy. After days of chasing roaring stags, changing gears and pursuing fallow deer gave us another adventure before our time in New Zealand came to an end. And Pat wasn't about to leave without giving it everything he had.
Why We Keep Coming Back
Over the years we've been fortunate to hunt in some amazing places around the world. New Zealand remains special. Yes, the red stags are incredible. Yes, the fallow bucks are beautiful. And yes, the scenery is hard to beat. But those aren't the things we'll remember most from this trip. We'll remember watching our kids experience a new place. We'll remember the laughs with our Kiwi Family & friends. We'll remember hearing stags roaring through the valley. We'll remember the opportunities that didn't work out just as much as the ones that did. And we'll remember getting to experience another adventure together as a family. That's what keeps us coming back.
Stay Driven,
Pat & Nicole
