New Zealand Mixed Bag Side Hunts!

I love to make the most of the places I visit and if there are opportunities to take any little side trips during my safaris I usually will jump at the chance! I've gotten to do things that I would never have imagined doing simply by asking "what else can we do around here?" That question has lead to salsa dancing in Argentina and cruising around in swamps in Australia as well as many fishing trips all over the world!

I asked this same question on my last trip to New Zealand and was pleasantly surprised by the answer. When my guide Jonathan had suggested we go out to spear eels one night after dinner I must admit I was a bit hesitant. We ran up and down about 10 miles of creeks with our flashlights on the water until you see the silvery shimmer of an eel. When you spot one you then jump into the water and spear it, it was so exhilarating!

The day I left Wilderness Quest New Zealand, my guide Jonathan had come up with yet another side trip for us! I got a perfect set of paradise ducks right down the road from the lodge, we only had a couple of hours to go look for the birds before we had to head into town and right when we were about to head back I was able to sneak up on a nice pukeko bird!

This little outing was one of three side trips that we took that resulted in shooting six rabbits, three birds and spearing two eels (which by the way is just as much fun as it sounds). I call that a well rounded hunting trip!