Update from
New Zealand - June 2014
Our season started warm and dry but as I write winter has definitely
arrived. Up here in the North we are described as sub tropical and we don’t
get any snow. We do get some severe frosting in winter but the days that
follow can see temps of 15—20 degrees C (60—70F) So far this season I
have only put serious rain gear on once however that could change over the
next few weeks ! !
The main focus of hunters is always to take the Red Stag of their dreams.
However, interest in our awesome Rusa stags this year has been extreme.
More on Rusa later.
One of the most majestic stags taken this season was secured by Brian Carmines
who came from South Carolina. This stag with 35 points has the most awesome
tops you could ever imagine. He was one of the most cunning animals I have ever
encountered and has kept a very low profile over the past three seasons. When
we spotted him on this hunt we became totally focused on getting him. The stag
was sticking to the tight cover and when we finally located him Brian managed to
topple him with a running shot at fairly close quarters.
Photo shows Brian and Gloria, who shared the entire hunt. They are an awesome couple
who own Hudsons seafood Bistro on Hilton Head Island on the coast of South Carolina. I
am sure if you phone Brian and Gloria they will be happy to tell you all about their New
Zealand experience which I am sure will be helpful in planning your own special
adventure down under.
Brian and Gloria Carmines Phone: 843 681 4556 or email: [email protected]
www.kuranui.co.nz
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[email protected]
RED STAGS.
The mighty Red Stags are renown for their beautiful crowned
tops although each one is specifically unique in its own architecture. Features of
each stag include length, width, antler beam mass, nature of the “crown”, numbers
of points and even the colour. The more virtues a stag possesses the higher the
score, the rarer the animal and of course the greater the value.
The rich black colour of antlers on our stags is special for stags here at Kuranui.
It is a direct result of the stags rubbing their antlers on various vegetation and
the major one they use ( and we have a lot of it here !) is manuka or tea tree. The
bark on the manuka has a black mould which gives the antlers a dark stain. The
pearly tips that get hunters hearts palpitating is a result of the stag digging his
antlers into the coarse volcanic soil which acts like a grinding paste and brings
them up to a fine polished white.
Take a look at some of the other stags that have been taken here at Kuranui so far
this season.
Bo Jansen and son Rasmus came all the way from Denmark and both took nice Red Stags and other trophies. Accompanied by Solveig they spent two weeks in New Zealand after their hunt at Kuranui and they
loved every minute. What an awesome family !
John and Holly Mathew from Houston Texas.
(See Holly’s great Rusa stag on page 4)
www.kuranui.co.nz
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Randy and Sue Kuchenmeister from Michigan USA.
Taken right on dark the stag was almost stripped
[email protected]
Kyle Smith with sons Hunter and Kirby came out
from River Oaks Texas in March and each took a
special red stag. These were big boys who enjoyed
Mellie's cooking to the max and were extremely
good company in the field and around the fire at
the lodge. Such a privilege to be a part of the father and sons special time !
Peter and Val Davey from Alberta Canada hunted
with us in April and enjoyed the sensation of the
Red Stag rut. Peter took this awesome red stag
and immediately it fell another stag higher up on
the hill ran down and pushed our stag 20 metres
down the slope !! What an amazing sight to witness !
Ross Murphy from Midland Texas took this magnificent red stag. It was the first one he saw, on the
first day, & it took us three days to find him again!
Diane, Ross’s lovely wife, accompanied us on every
hunt. Their knowledge and interest in our bush and
animals and birdlife was unequalled, what a great
couple. See Ross’s incredible “double drop tine”
Rusa stag on the next page.
Mike and Holly Haffey from Washington State came
in late May. Holly took this beautiful Red Stag with
black antlers and polished tips. She is such a happy
lady and we know the smile on her face will still be
there !!
See Mikes classic Rusa on the next page, it is a
beauty !
www.kuranui.co.nz
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[email protected]
Ben and Bill Hodgskiss took these two amazing red stags in early June. Proof some of the best stags don’t
necessarily get taken first! The fair chase environment of our hunting reserve means that some animals
are able to evade the hunter and remain undetected for months, or even years.
Bills stag had an attractive long wide head scoring over 400 SCI. Look at the incredible crown mass of
Bens awesome trophy which scored close to 450 SCI. Both are very special trophies and we had the most
memorable time with two awesome young brothers from Montana.
We have some incredible trophy Reds that will reach maturity next season
including one stag that will score over 600 SCI making him one of the finest
Red stags ever taken.
Every stag has its own unique architecture and features and each one is
special in its own right !!
RUSA
Hunters are now realising what a challenging and rare trophy these amazing and
elusive animals are. We have enjoyed some intense and unpredictable moments
securing great trophies this year.
At Kuranui we have some of the finest Rusa in the world. They originated from a
warm climate, and they are the only species of deer in New Zealand that does not
have a down layer, so they struggle to survive much further south than where we
are. They have adapted well to our environment and are excelling here. “Twinning”
is very common in the herd which is also a good indication of how well they are doing. Another interesting fact about the Rusa is they are the only species introduced
to New Zealand which refused to adapt to the change in hemisphere so they don’t
rut until July and the fawns are not born until early April. This means they keep a
very low profile while the reds are in the rut and are difficult to find until they begin
to strip in early May. They are unbelievable “scrappers” in the rut and often sustain
damage to their coats so Rusa taken earlier in the season make tidier mounts.
Only a limited number of trophy Rusa are taken here each season and we have only
a few still available for 2015
This very special Rusa with double drop tines was taken by Ross Murphy. Ross hunted in
early May just as this stag was on the point of stripping his velvet. Rusa grow exponentially each year and this boy was a whopper!! A thick layer of body fat helps to insulate
them from the cold in this part of the world. The double droppers are extremely rare.
www.kuranui.co.nz
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Ross also took this “classic” Rusa that was still in
velvet. He gave us a merry chase but patience was
rewarded when he poked his nose out of the thick
brush.
Ross has written a full report on his New Zealand
hunting this year. You can read this report by going
to the following link:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums?
a=tpc&s=518103&f=5621043&m=4961029002&r=496102900
2#4961029002g link
Holly Mathew took this great Rusa that was
sporting an extra droptine on his left side. Looks
like the double droptine boy has spread his genes
far and wide as we have seen several this season
with signs of this special trait. You can see how
proud Holly was to bag this stag, and so she should
be, he is a beautiful animal.
Another nice Rusa with massive beam mass taken by
Bo Jansen from Denmark. Bo is having his Rusa
mounted in a wall pedestal mount in the sneak
mode which is a very natural pose for this very
sneaky animal.
Now here is one happy hunter !!.
Mike was recovering
from some health issues but was determined not to let
that adversely affect the New Zealand adventure he had
dreamed about for years. He worked hard for this Rusa
and I think it was the highlight of the trip. What a magnificent trophy. He has decided to have it mounted as a wall
pedestal in the natural “sneak” mode synonymous with
these very special animals.
www.kuranui.co.nz
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[email protected]
We truly live for the excitement we see in the eyes of our guests! Every trophy is uniquely different and the memories of each
hunt are special for every individual hunter. It is our privilege to help bring dreams to reality and we thank all those who put
their trust in us this year. At Kuranui we are already excited about next season and we look forward to welcoming future
guests who will be fortunate indeed to enjoy the awesome experience of “Hunting New Zealand”
Best wishes
Mort and Mel
Kuranui New Zealand [email protected] www.kuranui.co.nz