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Hunting With James Gray
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Access: Access: |
Any bird hunter contemplating a trip to New Zealand needs to factor in one essential point. This South Pacific destination has plenty of birds, but none are migratory, and most of the best hunting occurs on private land. Sure, there are plenty of public waterways, but local hunters already book most of the best spots, and what is left produces generally poor results. Without help, visiting hunters will fail, so they need to use a guide like James Gray who above all else can provide access to quality, private land bird hunting. |
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Great Hunting |
James Gray is based in the South Island province of Canterbury, and this region is famous for offering both a special February/March bird hunting season, and a normal May to July bird hunting season. He can provide good pond, and walk up hunting across both seasons, but the special season is the one many overseas clients should particularly pencil in on their calendars. It involves the hunting of Canada geese, and Paradise shelduck that are feeding destructively on farmer crops. |
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More Than Just Hunting |
During the special season January 31 to March 29, twenty paradise shelduck a day may be shot, and there is no limit on geese. All hunting is done from concealed blinds, using large spreads of decoys. Paradise duck and goose hunts are a good group safari for up to three or four hunters, and because hunting destinations are quite close to towns and cities, a good trip to bring wives and partners on. This successful hunter bagged his limit of paradise ducks in just two hours shooting. |
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Hunting |
He has several accommodation options. For example, farm stays which hunters rate very highly as they get to meet, mix with, and intermingle with farmers, and a near new holiday house in the tourist town of Hanmer Springs that is available to hunters who want a rest period from hunting, or for the use of non hunter partners. He also uses a seaside cabin in a small beach settlement town close to the hunting area. These abodes are also very close to excellent big game hunting as the photograph shows. This is a representative fallow buck trophy. |
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Exclusive Properties |
Gray has exclusive access to several new properties that are proving very rewarding. An example is close to Christchurch. Gray is allowed to hunt on a large private farm that adjoins a series of small, protected lakes inhabited by over a thousand paradise shelduck. These birds, topped up by regular extras, plus geese that live in the area, feed on the property Gray hunts. They can be almost suicidal in their desire to land amongst the decoys. This bag numbers over 50 ducks, and several pigeon. |
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New Caledonia |
Gray is our guide operating in this magical part of the south Pacific. He has exclusive permission to hunt several of the best free-range Rusa stag properties there. Often described as the "best free-range hunt in the world", it is a country where clients are forced with a difficult decision. When to pull the trigger: as choices are continuously walking past their rifle. It is not uncommon to see herds numbering in the hundreds, trophy quality is excellent, and prices very reasonable. This whopper was shot in the past season. Late July to early September is the best time to hunt. |
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Great Prices |
In the off season Gray continues to search out even more properties, and prospective clients should also remember that his extensive farmer network applies to access rights in respect to the other arms of his operation: touring, trout fishing, and big game hunting. This huge brown trout lived in one of his duck shooting ponds. During a lull in the shooting a delicately presented fly did the trick. It weighed nearly 10 pound. Gray is famous for his hunt/shoot/fish safaris. |
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