Small Game Hunting

A boy in outdoor camouflage clothing, holding a large hunted animal by the tail, standing in dry grass with mountains and cloudy sky in the background.

At New Zealand Trophy Hunting it is customary to fill any spare hunting time, pursuing small game. Small game opportunities are abound in our hunting areas. Small game also offer gun enthusiasts the opportunity to snipe animals at long range with precision calibers; a great way to fill an evening.

Our targeted species are;

Bennets or red necked wallabies (macropus rufogriseus). New Zealand has the only legal hunting opportunity on these fast moving and elusive animals. A large male wallaby can weigh up to 30 kilograms (65 pounds). They inhabit scrub clad hill country in the vicinity of our Kurow Lodge’s. Our usual hunting method is nightshooting with spot light or thermal imaging and "spotting” and long range sniping. Shots can be 250 meters (275 yards) or more. We also can do walk up shoots with dogs.

European brown hares (lepus europaeus) are common place in New Zealand and make a great hunt either with a small caliber rifle or shotgun these are alot of fun to shoot during a night shoot spot lighting or with thermal imaging technology. The meat of the hare is also considered a culinary delicacy by some.

Rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) are plentiful and make for great hunting sport. It is not unusual for a hunter to harvest 50 or more rabbits in an evening shoot.

Brush tailed possum (trichosurus vulpecula) are quite different to the possums found in North America. The pelt is luxurious and sought after for high quality garments. Possums are nocturnal, so hunting is usually done at night. Many of our hunting clients gather enough skins to make a luxurious fur coat for a partner back at home.

A man dressed in camouflage hunting gear stands outdoors at night, holding a dead coyote by its tail, with the full moon shining overhead in the sky.
Man in camouflage clothing holding a large, dead coyote at night.
Man standing on a grassy hillside holding a deceased animal by its tail. The animal appears to be a large rodent, possibly a nutria. The background features rolling hills and cloudy sky.