For self-guided hunters coming to New Zealand
Plan your New Zealand hunt with a local who actually hunts here.
I'm a Kiwi hunter based in Motueka. Active in the field every season, and I host overseas hunters most years. One hour on the phone with me and you leave with a plan — not another tab of forum posts to wade through.
1 hour · Zoom or Google Meet · Recording available · Full refund if I can't help
Who this is for
The DIY hunter who wants the adventure of organising it themselves.
You've read about New Zealand in the magazines. You've heard from friends who've been. You want to do it yourself — not be walked around by a guide. You just need a friendly local you can call to fill in the gaps.
This is for you if
- You want a self-guided / DIY hunt — not a fully guided trip
- You're tired of wading through YouTube and forum threads that don't quite answer your question
- You want to talk to a real person who actually hunts here
- You'd rather get it right the first time than figure it out the hard way
It's probably not for you if
- You want a fully guided, hand-held hunt
- You want someone to book flights, gear, and accommodation for you
- You're after a trophy guarantee — that's not how DIY works
The honest truth
New Zealand is different. That's the problem.
The map looks straightforward. The booking sites look straightforward. Then you get here and realise none of it lines up with the trip you'd pictured. These are the things people get stuck on most.
You don't know where to actually look
Animals don't live everywhere the map says they could. A basin that looks perfect can be empty; the one next door can be full. The terrain doesn't tell you — local knowledge does.
A map shows distance, not what the country is like
Maps don't lie — but they don't tell you how long a route really takes, what to pack for the country you're heading into, or what it feels like to move through it with a pack on. That's the part hunters get wrong from a screen.
A "5-day hunt" isn't 5 days of hunting
Travel days, weather buffer, walk-in time, pack-out. Without planning the shape of the trip properly, the actual hunting window shrinks fast — and people don't see it coming.
What you'll get on the call
One hour. No fluff. A real plan.
I'll cut to the chase. You'll get straight answers, the local knowledge you can't find on the internet, and a clear next step for every decision you've been stuck on.
Where to go
Region and block recommendations matched to your species, dates, fitness, and time available.
Walk-in or fly-in
Honest tradeoffs on cost, effort, and success — and which chopper operators can actually land where you want to go.
When to come
Season timing for your species, the roar, weather windows, and overlap with ballots if relevant.
How long it'll really take
A realistic read on travel time, walk-in distance, and how the terrain you're heading into will actually move — so your itinerary matches the country, not the map.
A day-by-day plan
We'll walk through what each day of your trip can look like — drive, fly, walk-in, hunt, pack-out, weather buffer — so you know how the whole thing fits together before you book a flight.
What to pack
A gear list that matches this trip — not a generic one. Boots, layers, optics, pack weight.
Who you'll be talking to
I'm Daniel.
I'm a New Zealand hunter based in Motueka, at the top of the South Island. I've been hunting here since I was 16 — over two decades with bow and rifle. Tahr, chamois, red deer, sika, fallow, pigs. Tops country, bush, fly-camps, walk-ins, Stewart Island.
My main expertise is the South Island — that's home, and the country I know best — but I've hunted extensively in the North Island too. I'm still active in the field every season; this isn't war stories from twenty years ago.
I've spent a lot of time in outdoor work and have hosted plenty of overseas hunters here over the years. I've watched capable hunters from Europe and North America get caught out by stuff that's second nature to a Kiwi — weather windows, scree, river crossings, how long it actually takes to move through this country.
I lived in Denmark for 13 years, speak fluent Danish, and hold Danish hunting licences for both rifle and bow — so if you're coming from Europe, I understand the world you're hunting in too. I'm not translating from a different culture; I've stood on both sides of it.
These days I get calls from friends — and friends of friends — every few weeks asking the same questions: where should I go, who should I fly with, what time of year, can I actually do this in five days? This service exists because there should be a way to get that conversation without having to know someone.
How it works
Three steps. That's it.
- 1
Book a time
Pick a slot from the calendar below and pay securely through Google. You'll get a confirmation with the meeting link straight away.
- 2
Send me a quick brief
A few sentences before we talk: species, dates, fitness, prior NZ experience, what you're stuck on. So we don't waste the first 15 minutes.
- 3
We talk. You get a plan.
One hour on Zoom or Google Meet. Recording available on request. Walk away with a clear next step on every open question.
Book your call
- Direct call with Daniel — tailored to your trip
- Zoom or Google Meet — your choice
- Recording available on request
- Full refund if I can't help with your trip
- Payment handled securely by Google + Stripe
Need more than an hour? Book back-to-back slots, or mention it in the booking notes and we'll sort it.
Pick a time that works for you:
Open booking calendar →Opens in a new tab if the embed above doesn't load.
FAQ
Common questions
- Is this a guided hunt?
- No. This is a planning call for self-guided hunters. If you want to be guided in the field, you want a registered guide — I can recommend one if that turns out to be the right call.
- I'm a Kiwi hunter — is this for me too?
- Yes, especially for the South Island. I'm based in Motueka and that's where I know the country best — Nelson Lakes, Kahurangi, the West Coast, Marlborough, all the way down. I've also hunted plenty in the North Island and can still help, but South Island is where you'll get the most out of an hour with me. Same price.
- What if I haven't picked a species or region yet?
- Even better. Half the value is helping you decide. Bring your time, your fitness, and what you're excited about, and we'll work backwards from there.
- Do you have a discount for multiple calls?
- Yes — get in touch if you want a planning relationship rather than a one-off. Many people book one call to scope the trip, then a second closer to the date to finalise logistics.
- What if the call doesn't help me?
- Full refund, no questions. I'd rather give your money back than have you feel you wasted it.
- Can I get the call recorded?
- Yes. Just ask at the start. I'll share the recording afterwards so you can rewatch when you're packing or out in the field with patchy reception.
- What languages do you speak?
- English and Danish, both fluently. I lived in Denmark for 13 years.
Stop second-guessing. Get a plan.
One hour with someone who's done this for two decades. Worst case, you get your money back. Best case, you save your trip.