New zealand merriam turkey hunting
Pursue New Zealand Merriam turkeys across picturesque South Island farmland and rolling high-country terrain. These free-range birds provide an exciting spot-and-stalk hunting experience and are renowned for their striking plumage, impressive fans and long beards.
Whether hunting a vocal spring gobbler or carefully closing the distance on a mature tom, every hunt offers a unique challenge and a rewarding experience.
Many clients choose to add a turkey hunt to their waterfowl, fly fishing or big game adventure, creating a truly diverse New Zealand sporting experience.
Private guided hunts are conducted on carefully selected properties with a focus on mature birds, quality hunting and genuine New Zealand hospitality.
For hunters seeking something different, an NZ Merriam turkey is a memorable addition to any South Island adventure.
Big Game
Over 4000 Acres, each hunt is tailored to the species pursued, seasonal conditions and individual hunter goals, delivering exceptional trophies, professional guiding and uncompromising standards.
Red Stag
New Zealand Red stags are renowned for their size and genetics, producing consistently high-quality trophies. Our main focus is too get you on a mature animal and is conducted with a deliberate and measured approach.
Himalayan Bull Tahr
Himalayan Bull Tahr
Tahr occupy some of the steepest and most rugged terrain in New Zealand's South island, offering a physically demanding yet highly rewarding mountain hunt. We focus on mature bulls in remote country and require patience, fitness and careful stalking in challenging conditions.
Elk:
Himalayan Bull Tahr
New Zealand Elk are large-bodied, powerful animal that offer a rare and distinctive hunting opportunity. Hunts focus on mature bulls and conducted with a deliberate and selective approach.
Arapawa Ram:
The Arapawa Ram is New Zealand's version of the Big Horn Sheep. They offer a rewarding hunt for collectors seeking something different. Known for their distinctive appearance and challenging nature, they make an excellent addition to any chosen New Zealand hunt.
Fallow Buck
Fallow buck are prized for their distinctive palmated antlers, beautiful coats, and challenging nature. These alert and fast-moving deer provide an exciting and rewarding New Zealand hunting experience.
Waterfowl Species
Paradise Shelduck
Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
A true icon of New Zealand waterfowling.
The Paradise Shelduck is a striking native species, known for its loud calls, bold colors and strong pair bonds. Males are black with a greenish sheen, while the hens are chestnut with a pure white head. They are unmistakable.
The Paradise Shelduck is one of the few waterfowl species where the female is more strikingly colored than the male.
Native.
NZ Grey Duck / Pacific Black Duck
Grey ducks are uniformly darkish brown with most feathers edged with a paler buff. The crown is almost black, and the face a clean cream crossed with two sharply-defined black stripes, one extending from the bill through the eye to link to the dark crown, the other from the gape and extending across the lower face and beyond the eye. The bill is leaden grey with a black nail, legs khaki, and the eye dark brown. The upper wing is brown, with the speculum (on the trailing edge of the inner wing) an iridescent green with a trailing narrow white band.
Other names - 'Pacific Black Duck'
Native.
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a striking, iconic species native to New Zealand and Australia. With its jet-black plumage, deep red bill, and massive wingspan, this bird commands attention both on the water and in the trophy room.
Unlike most other waterfowl, Black Swans are grazers, often seen in large groups feeding on aquatic vegetation. They’re known for their haunting calls and graceful presence — but when they take to the air, they’re big, fast, and tough to bring down clean.
We offer opportunities to hunt this unique species in select locations during the open season. A mature Black Swan makes for an unforgettable trophy and a great addition to any serious waterfowler’s collection.
Introduced in 1860
Australasian Shoveler
The Australasian Shoveler is one of New Zealand’s most eye-catching dabbling ducks. With its deep chestnut body, vivid green speculum and signature spoon-shaped bill, this crafty little bird is a favorite among collectors and wingshooters alike.
While protected in Australia, here in New Zealand we’re fortunate to be able to hunt this unique species during the game bird season.
Whether you’re chasing a new bird for the wall or ticking another species off your collection list, the Shoveler delivers fast-paced, challenging shooting and an unforgettable reward.
Other Animals and Activities on offer
Wallaby hunting
After something a bit different to round out your New Zealand hunt? Jump in on an adrenaline-packed wallaby hunt with experienced wallaby dogs — an old-school, boots-on-the-ground style of pest control that’s as raw and real as it gets.
These hunts are fast-paced and unpredictable. The dogs locate and flush wallabies in steep country, giving hunters quick, exciting shot opportunities. It’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon after a morning on the ducks or rivers — and a side of New Zealand hunting most never get to see.
Wallabies are a serious pest here, and this is a chance to help manage populations while getting stuck into something truly different.
New Zealand Merriam Turkey
If you've hunted Eastern's, Osceola's, Rios and Merriam's.. There is still one bird to add to your list.
Deep in New Zealand's hills and farmland, wild turkeys have established as a unique trophy unlike anywhere else in the world. They carry that familiar Merriam look with cream tipped fans, but with a heavier build and the toughness that comes from thriving in the southern hemisphere.
Whether you're pursing your first gobbler or adding another species to your trophy collection, New Zealand Merriam turkeys provide an unforgettable hunting experience.
100% Free Range.
Ideal add on to your Waterfowling or Big Game package - a trophy halfway across the world.