Introduction

Kupu Whakataki

HUNTS – UCDA Hunter National Training Scheme

To be an effective and successful hunter you need hunting skills, bushcraft knowledge and the ability to travel and survive in New Zealand’s backcountry.

You also need knowledge of the animals you are hunting, and be able to apply this knowledge to situations where you are hunting the various species in different kinds of country.

A good hunter will looks after their gear and take the time to acquire skill in it’s use. For example, taking the time to learn how to navigate using a map and compass, handle a rifle safely, shoot accurately and how to recover and process your game animal.

 

In addition, hunters should give back to the hunting community and society in general by practicing sound conservation values. This helps to maintain the social licence to hunt in an era where firearms ownership and hunting are coming under closer scrutiny. This may be through involvement in hut and track maintenance or pest trap line monitoring.

This course will give you the basic skills required to become a confident, knowledgeable hunter. After the course it will be up to you to enhance your knowledge and skills, to learn, practice, and enjoy the experience of hunting and to become an active member of the Upper Clutha NZDA branch.

Curriculum

Marautanga

01. Ethics, Ecology & Regulations

This module teaches the ethics and regulations that New Zealand hunters need to be aware of, including:

  • Responsibilities of hunters towards iwi, private landowners, Department of Conservation (DOC) and other outdoor users
  • NZDA’s hunting ethics
  • Care For Aotearoa and The Environmental Care Code
  • Wildlife conservation relating to hunting

02. Equipment & Food

This module teaches about the essential equipment and food required for safe hunting, providing useful tips and technical explanations. Topics covered are:

  • Basic gear and food required for hunting including pack, tent, boots, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, knife, binoculars, map, compass, torch, rifle, ammunition
  • Selection and care of equipment
  • Selection and care of clothing
  • The layering principle for clothing
  • Selection and storage of food
  • Cooking meals
  • Dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Communication devices
  • Survival kit

river_crossing

03. Backcountry Travel

When hunting it is important to plan ahead, this module teaches the fundamentals of safe travel, including:

  • Planning a hunting trip
  • Obtaining and interpreting basic weather information
  • Selecting and setting up a campsite
  • Demonstrating basic understanding of river dynamics and hazards
  • Demonstrating competence in solo and group methods of river crossing (theory lesson prior to practical exercise)

04. Navigation

Hunting in the backcountry requires learning the skills for navigating using a map and compass or GPS. This module covers the fundamentals of backcountry navigation, including:

  • Reading maps and using a compass confidently
  • Selecting a route and determining the time required and distance traveled
  • Following a compass bearing and determining your location

firearms

05. Firearms Selection, Safety & Marksmanship

Hunting (other than bowhunting) requires an appropriate firearm, in this module trainees learn the essentials of firearm use in a hunting context, including:

  • The 7 basic rules of firearms safety
  • Transport and field safety
  • Target identification and safety clothing
  • Basic rifle ballistics
  • Selecting a suitable rifle and accessories
  • Telescopic sights
  • Popular calibers and their performance
  • Bullet selection and performance
  • Sighting in a rifle for hunting
  • The main factors affecting rifle accuracy
  • Shooting techniques
  • Field shooting
  • Rifle maintenance at home and in the field

06. Game Animal Species

There is a range of big game animal species available to hunt in New Zealand, this module describes these animals, including:

  • Learning about New Zealand’s big game animals and the regions they are found
  • Identifying the 7 deer species in New Zealand
  • Identifying footprints, droppings, and other sign
  • Learning seasonal behaviour of game animals in their region
  • Learning what constitutes a trophy

07. Hunting Techniques

This module provides information to help gain knowledge of hunting skills and locating game animals, including:

  • Explaining deer behaviour by season, time of day and weather conditions
  • Describing the favoured locations and feed of deer
  • Describing the main types of deer sign and what a hunter can learn from them
  • Describing a deer’s primary defences
  • Basic stalking techniques
  • Understanding the importance of wind and its likely direction
  • Explaining how to use movement, sound, and colour to your advantage
  • Describing the best areas for bullet placement and explain why
  • Preferred field shooting techniques
  • Demonstrating basic roaring technique
  • How to track wounded animals

08. Meat, Skins & Trophies

Learn what to do after you have shot a game animal, which depends on whether you want it for a trophy animal, taxidermy, or to make the best use of the meat and skin. This module includes:

  • Knife selection and sharpening
  • Gutting and skinning an animal in the field
  • Removing the cape and head of an animal
  • Head skinning
  • Skull preparation for mounting and competitions
  • Preserving skins and meat
  • Butchering an animal in the field to remove most of the edible meat
  • Carrying a deer carcass or hindquarters
  • Disposing of offal and waste
  • Removing the lower jaw for aging
  • Trophy photography
  • The Douglas Score measuring system

09. Outdoor Emergencies & Survival Techniques

Things may not go to plan when in the backcountry and New Zealand’s weather conditions can be harsh and changeable. This module helps trainees learn some of the dangers and how to cope, including:

  • Basic first aid
  • Dealing with a medical emergency
  • Hypothermia and dehydration
  • The contents of a first aid kit
  • The contents of a survival kit and its use
  • Lighting a fire in damp conditions and making an emergency shelter
  • Basic survival techniques
  • Search and rescue
  • What to do when lost or separated from the party
  • What to do for an ill or injured party member
  • What to do for an overdue member or party
  • What to do when there is a fatality
  • Preparing for a medical evacuation by foot
  • Preparing a helicopter landing zone for a casualty
  • Safety around helicopters

The Team

Te Kapa
Scott -profile photo_112039

Scott Gillam

Co-ordinator / Lead Instructor

I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in the outdoors and hunting in the Wanaka area from a very young age. And now get to pass on knowledge via the HUNTS course as trainer. Best part is that I learn from every single course too.

Getting up on the tops is where I find my peace and favourite game species of chamois and tahr. Outside of hunting you’ll find me researching some ‘random’ subjects as my wife puts it.

Jamie

Jamie Slade

Instructor

Profile coming soon!
Alex_profile

Alex Sharples

Instructor

I’ve been involved in hunting over the last 5 years. In that time I’ve been very passionate about enjoying the outdoors, the exercise, and the places that hunting takes you.

I am particularly enthusiastic about sharing the meat I gather and turning it into delicious healthy food. The game species I most enjoy hunting is Tahr. When I’m not out hunting i’ll be driving or hiking into a new hut to tick off the bucket list.

Register

Rehita

Hunts Documents

Introductory Flyer
UCDA HUNTS Annex
NZDA Membership Form