4-day Shooting, Stalking and Butchery Course March 24, 2025
A 4-day rifle skills and hunting course that includes transport and accommodation. Prior experience is not necessary to attend this course.
4-day shooting, stalking and butchery course overview
After meeting in Christchurch, we drive to the shooting range and private hunting estate in South Canterbury. The first two days on the shooting range will cover rifle safety, marksmanship, long-range shooting, and rifle maintenance. Days 3 & 4 will be spent learning stalking and hunting skills. We guarantee at least two animals are secured on the course; therefore, a comprehensive field butchery session will wrap up the course before returning to Christchurch.
*At the bottom of this page, you will find a more detailed course outline that can be downloaded.
ADULT PRICE $2799* (MINIMUM AGE 18 YEARS)
Youth Price $1399.50** (16-17 years, accompanied by an adult)
* This is the early bird booking price. Standard rates are available on the course calendar.
**Conditions apply for youth pricing structure. See FAQ’s page.
Prerequisites
Prior skills and experience are not required before attending this course. You will learn everything you need to know to become a safe and successful hunter.
Age limit
To attend OENZ hunting courses, the participant must be 18yrs or older on, or before the first day of the course. Persons 16 yrs or older may attend OENZ hunting courses if they are attending with a legal parent or guardian.
Do you need an NZ firearms licence to attend this course?
To attend this course, you do not need to hold an NZ firearms licence or have any experience using firearms.
If you do not hold a current firearms licence, you will be able to shoot under the direct supervision of our guides. Under NZ law, an unlicensed person may use a firearm under the direct supervision of a current NZ firearms licence.
Can I bring my rifle to this course?
Yes, you can. However, you do not need to.
If you wish to bring a rifle, you will need to hold current NZ firearms or have organised a “visitors firearms licence” (if travelling from overseas).
Rifle skills course location
This hunting course is spent on a private estate in South Canterbury. The estate includes a shooting range to work on marksmanship, and a resident deer population to hunt.
1st day – Travel/Shooting range, South Canterbury.
2nd day – Shooting range, South Canterbury.
3rd day – Private Hunting Estate, South Canterbury.
4th day – Private Hunting Estate, South Canterbury, travel back to Christchurch.
Accommodation
Accommodation is provided for the duration of this hunting course.
The farmhouse we use in South Canterbury is fully self-contained. Includes a kitchen, hot showers and sleeps up to 12 people.
Gear and equipment
A complete packing list is available to download
FOOD
This is a self-catered course. Please pack all of your meals and snacks for the duration of the course.
Transport
Return transport is provided from Christchurch for all of the OENZ hunting courses.
Free transport is available from any Christchurch accommodation if you’re travelling from out of town to attend one of our courses.
If you live in Christchurch, have transport or can get dropped off, please meet us at the following location. From here, you’re welcome to drive your vehicle out to our training location or jump into one of our vans and ride with us.
Meeting location (catch a ride with us)
Yaldhurst McDonald (see on google maps)
This Rifle skills & practical hunting course includes
Rifle skills & safety
- NZ firearms code
- Cleaning and maintaining a firearm
- Rifle calibres explained
- Choosing a rifle & scope
- Correct fitment of rifle, scope & hunter
Marksmanship
- Sighting in a rifle
- Shooting positions
- Bench shooting
- Prone (lying down)
- Sitting
- Standing
- Kneeling
- Shooting long range
- Truing rifle and load
Hunting skills
- Stalking
- Hunting photography
Butchering & Skinning
- Field butchery
- Skinning
- Trophy caping
- ID cuts of meat
- Management of meat in the bush
Hunting ethics & regulations
- Herd management
- Ethical kill shots & distances
*A full course outline is available to download at the bottom of this page
Rifle Skills course FAQ
Do you need a firearms licence to attend this course?
To attend this course, you do not need to hold an NZ firearms licence or have any experience using firearms. You can participate in all aspects of the course, including shooting, under the direct supervision of our qualified guides and range officers, even if you do not hold a New Zealand firearms licence.
Can I bring my rifle to this course?
Yes, you can. However, you do not need to bring a rifle or hold a New Zealand firearms licence to attend this course. If you hold a current NZ firearms licence, you may bring and use your rifle.
Can you fly domestically around New Zealand with a firearm?
Yes, It’s quite simple to fly domestically around New Zealand with your firearm. You will need a current NZ firearm licence or a Visitor’s firearm licence & import permit if you have travelled from overseas. Also, make sure to inform your airline in advance.
Travelling from overseas?
If you are travelling from overseas and wish to bring and use your own rifle, you will need to organise a “visitors firearms licence” and “import permit” with the NZ Police in advance.
You can find out more information about travelling with firearms in New Zealand from the NZ Police and Air New Zealand websites:
https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/
Will I get an opportunity to shoot an animal on this course?
Yes, everyone will be offered an opportunity to shoot an animal on the course. The last part of the course is delivered on a large, high-fenced hunting estate. OENZ will supply two animals to demonstrate stalking, shooting, skinning & butchering skills. Additional animals can be shot for a small fee (approx $100 per hind) payable directly to the estate owner. Meat from these animals is divided up at the end of the course.
Why do you deliver part of your course in a high-fenced hunting estate?
Hunting on wild public land in New Zealand is extremely rewarding, but it can also be fickle. Recreational hunting pressure, WARO (Wild Animal Recovery Operations) and pest control measures used on public land make it challenging to locate animals within the time constraints of a hunting course.
What is “fair chase”?
FAIR CHASE, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals.
“‘Fair Chase’ is the term given to a hunt that takes place on public or private land, either free-range or game estate, where the hunted species can express natural behaviours and has a reasonable and realistic chance of evading the hunter.” Source -NZPHGA (New Zealand Hunting Guides Association).
To deliver our range of hunting courses, we use a mixture of public and private. Our private land partnerships have been carefully selected to ensure that we offer experiences that fall in line with a “fair chase” hunting experience.
4-DAY SHOOTING, STALKING AND BUTCHERY COURSE DOWNLOADS
See what our clients have to say
“Enthusiastic and professional instructors with great skills and knowledge.”
“Such a great NZ hunting experience. The environment (location and people) made this an epic experience. A great jump start to hunting!” – Gareth, WELLINGTON
“This course made me feel confident in my backcountry skills and developed my hunting abilities ten-fold. Thank you everyone at OENZ.” – Brian, CANADA
