Mountain Hunters NZ Tour - Part 2
“We have a small window of time to get down to Fox Glacier for the tahr and chamois hunting before the weather closes in”, Brent announced at breakfast. “Craig, Tony, Jarrett; the four of us will fly down in an hour, let’s load up!”
Two Piper Cherokee 180 planes were the mode of transport for the guys and their rifles, with a 3 hour scenic flight across the lower part of the North Island to Cook Strait, through the Malborough Sounds and across the mighty Southern Alps to Fox Glacier on the West Coast of the South Island. With only 5 minutes on the ground, the guys met guide Wade and were back in the air. This time in helicopters, and guided one on one, the choppers rapidly ascended from sea level straight up to 8000 feet into the mountains to tahr country. “Big bull over on that ridgeline”, Brent called to the pilot, who immediately banked left to avoid getting too close and spooking the herd. “I’m going to drop you on this ledge”, he replied, Brent nodded and he and Craig prepared for a quick exit. They stepped onto the skids and jumped onto the rocky mountain side, the chopper disappearing into a steep descent moments later. With a backpack on the ground for a gun rest, Craig lay down and took aim at the large bull, standing prone on the horizon. A gentle squeeze of the trigger and the bull fell in his is place.
In one afternoon the guys had each taken a bull tahr and chamois, and men and animals were all retrieved from the mountain tops. Ready for a few beers at the pub and getting to know the locals (‘Coasters’), the guys were now officially in Speights country – Pride of the South.
Meanwhile, the girls flew to Christchurch on the east coast of the South Island, spent a night checking out the city and then took the scenic drive across the plains and up and over the alps through Arthur’s Pass. The team regrouped at Okarito Lodge, in a tiny village next to a large lagoon on the coast which used to be a booming gold mining town in the 1860s. With the hunting done and dusted, it was time for some hiking and a visit to the local hot pools, finished off with venison stew and relaxing next to the fire at the lodge. The hiking trail wound up through native forest to an old gold mining sluice tunnel, half a mile long, and home to hundreds of glow worms. We walked through the tunnel, icy water flowing into our shoes (except for Jarrett’s Meindls which were water proof of course!) and hands running along the rough hand cut schist walls. A couple of head torches illuminated the way until we got near the end of the tunnel and turned them off, plunging into black darkness, which slowly revealed hundreds of twinkling glow worms overhead.
After enjoying the lush, rainforest landscape, we had to make a quick exit from Okarito before getting stuck in the midst of a 100 year storm that was lashing the West Coast. Driving south through torrential rain, we managed to get through to Central Otago despite flooding and slips, with only a short enforced beer stop at the Hard Antler bar in Haast while the road ahead was being cleared. Perfect opportunity to sample a few more southern beers!
Our last few days were spent in the beautiful lakeside towns of Wanaka and Queenstown. The guys took another chopper ride to hunt for wallabies, unfortunately the wind was too strong to shoot at the hunting block, but they got an exhilarating ride home with a swift tail wind. The girls got plenty of time to check out the shops for gifts and taste some delicious local pinot noir. We took the time to visit to historic pubs in the area; first was the Luggate Pub for a delicious lunch next to the roaring fire. The iconic schist pub was built when European settlement began in the Clutha River Valley in the 1850s, with the establishment of sheep stations and the need for a place for a farmer to rest his head while herding stock up and down the valley on horseback.
Next day, the drive from Wanaka to Queenstown over the spectacular Crown Range wouldn’t have been complete without a stop at the Cardrona Pub – a legacy from the 1860s gold rush. The pub and hotel is now the only remaining part of a once bustling community of prospectors who flocked to the area chasing the miners dream. Nowadays, the pub and hotel are kept busy with skiers in the winter, weddings in the summer, and of course folk like ourselves who just happen to get a bit thirsty outside the front door.
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand, and we made sure to fit in a couple of thrill-seeking activities while we were there. From the lakefront in the centre of town we all jumped in a jet boat and took off across the lake and down the Kawarau River, ducking in and out from the riverbanks, getting sprayed with water and clinging to the handrails during the frequent Hamilton (360 degree) turns. We even had the extra bonus of getting to hop out and push the boat around for a while when it got stuck on a sand bar in shallow waters – luckily our crew were tough (and strong!) and didn’t mind the chilly waters. Just an extra bit of adventure!
Afterwards we all headed up the Skyline Gondola for some luge racing, with spectacular views across Lake Wakatipu and the craggy Remarkables mountain range. Craig, Jarrett, Brent and I had an hilarious series of races down the track in our little carts, barely staying upright as we hurtled around corners, cutting each other off and swerving wildly to keep the lead once we had it. Brent reigned supreme during our winner takes all final race – but I’m sure I could overthrow him next time!
All too soon the two weeks of travel, hunting, adventures and great company had to come to an end. After one last meal together at the best brunch spot in Queenstown, we said our goodbyes and headed back to reality. What a trip – it was awesome to share this beautiful country with our new Texan friends. Ya’ll come back now! Ya hear?
