'Phenomenal' hunting season could be worth $300m to NZ, industry leader predicts

Tuesday, 7 November 2023

Professional Hunting Guides Association president Chris McCarthy, left, with client Clint Michels of the United States and a red stag after a successful hunt.

Having endured nearly three seasons without any income because of Covid-related border closures, professional hunting guides have reported a record season this year.

New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association president Chris McCarthy, of Hāwea, said this year had been “phenomenal”.

“A study our past president Simon Guild put together in 2019 showed the industry was bringing in over $100 million a year, filtering through outfitters, guides and taxidermists [and] employing 500 people.

“This year the figure would be at least double, possibly triple that.”

McCarthy said nearly everyone in the industry had their best season on record.

Chris McCarthy pictured with a Himalayan tahr.

“Based on our company, Lake Hāwea Safaris, and we’re only relatively small, we had 46 international hunters through this season. The bigger ones would have had well over 100, and a couple of hundred.”

Most clients came from North America and Europe; some of them were high-profile personalities who flew into the country on private jets. McCarthy said he was not going to name them.

The rebound came after three hard years that McCarthy said were “incredibly tough”.

“Over 80% of our clientele are international. The borders closed in March 2020; we had clients in camp at the time, and people started talking about a virus shutting things down. We were laughing but by the end of the week we weren’t laughing.

“The week after that, our first clients for the season were back on a plane, leaving.

“It was a horrible time; we couldn’t get information. We think the Government was scared if they did give information, it would come back and bite them.”

The year 2021 was lost entirely and when borders reopened for overseas hunters in 2022 it was too late, McCarthy said. For those international hunters who did manage to come, he said, “It was not great.”

Guides usually had other streams of income from farming or other businesses to sustain them through the lean times, McCarthy said.

He expected 2024 would fall back to pre-Covid levels, with a normal season.

New Zealand Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale says New Zealand has some of the best hunting in the world.

Last year, McCarthy broke a leg after “a run-in with someone illegally hunting on my private hunting area”. He spent the time off writing a hunting book, which was due to be released early next year.

“It wasn’t ideal, but I turned a negative into a positive.”

New Zealand Game Animal Council general manager Tim Gale said most clients who booked to hunt in New Zealand were prepared to wait until the country’s borders reopened.

Feedback he received backed up McCarthy’s belief that professional guides had enjoyed their best ever season.

“It’s absolutely fantastic to see the industry back on its feet with investment back into remote communities.

Professional trophy hunting guides are delighted their industry is back on its feet after nearly three difficult years.

“It’s a high-value, low-impact sector and is what this country wants. Clients come in for a week or 10 days, spend a lot of money, and bring their partners who shop or do tours.

“They were on their knees with Covid restrictions with no work or income for two-and-a-bit years. It’s a positive news story.”

Gale said the country had some of the best hunting in the world with its range of species to hunt.

One South Canterbury professional guide, who did not want to be named, said he sat on the bookings received during the Covid border closures, and once lifted, business this last season had come all at once.

“Clients have been very good and very patient. Most understood Covid [border closures were] not our fault and a lot were frustrated with our Government and the period we were locked down.”

From what he had learnt by speaking to clients, he said there was uncertainty because of the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza.

“A lot of the American market are now superstitious about flying internationally; that’s my view.”

This year he guided hunters from March to July on the West Coast, Marlborough and in the Mackenzie.

“The outlook is looking pretty good for next year, but we have a long way to get back.”

*An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to the New Zealand Game Animal Council as the New Zealand Game Animal Association. It also incorrectly named the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association past president as James Guild. His name is Simon Guild.