Hunting Giant Red Stags in New Zealand
Backcountry Hunting Podcast
Joseph von Benedikt
4.8 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 17 April 2026
⏱️ 72 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This episode comes at you raw, recorded beside a late-night fire in New Zealand's incredible mountain country.
New Zealand is known for red stags of prehistoric size, mountain game that are incredibly unique, and the spectacular country that Lord Of The Rings was filmed in. In a hunters world, NZ is mostly special for the red stags. Here, we talk about why, and outfitter Darren Clifford and his staff share insight into the back story that goes into creating a place and an operation that consistently produces challenging, rewarding hunts and world-class animals. Plus, several hunters around the campfire share the stories of their hunts.
Naturally, the gear-head in us comes out and we talk through the rifles, cartridges, bullets, and optics we're all using and a few lessons learned along the way. ENJOY!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In a serious hunter's world, New Zealand is one of those land of promise kind of places. |
| 0:08.9 | It calls to people, especially those that are intrigued by rough country and great beauty and really cool animals. |
| 0:19.8 | We're here right now on the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand in a very special place. |
| 0:27.3 | Stars above, you can probably hear a fire trackling in the background. |
| 0:31.4 | There's a creek gurgling off in the distance 100 yards away or so i don't know if you can hear that but we can |
| 0:38.0 | hear it and what have we been here now folks about three days it's already been extraordinary |
| 0:46.1 | we're here with darren avon valley safaris who is fast becoming one of our favorite preferred |
| 0:52.8 | outfitters with our new recommended |
| 0:55.4 | outfitter booking agency, global hunting adventures. |
| 0:59.4 | And several daring couples that have decided to join us on one of our inaugural hosted hunts here. |
| 1:07.6 | We've hunted so far, red stag and fallow deer. |
| 1:11.3 | We've had a couple of feral |
| 1:12.4 | goats hit the ground. |
| 1:15.6 | Anything else? |
| 1:17.4 | No shots taken |
| 1:18.7 | at an hour power ram |
| 1:20.7 | yet |
| 1:21.1 | or |
| 1:23.2 | tar. |
| 1:25.2 | Audrey and I are going to go into the |
| 1:26.6 | high country with Darren here in a few days after |
| 1:29.1 | Emily and Tar. |
... |
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