Wanted: Jobs in New Zealand

[Macnucator]

Hello

I'm wondering if anyone has made or knows anyone who has made the leap to NZ as hunting guide, I'm considering a move had was wondering if it's been done before, I'm a fulltime deerstalker on a highland estate, and I've 35 years experience with red sika and roe.
Any advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[@theroedeerguy]

I went from contract stalking with guests at Atholl to working for a trophy hunting outfitter back in 2004.

It is possible but NZ is a very different working environment and industry.

Not really any full time guiding jobs, I was fortunate to have a flexible working schedule doing contract shepherding between the busy hunting season which is typically 3-5 months long depending what outfitter you are working with.

I got my first guiding jobs through a combination of contacts through friends and sending out a ton of CVs.

NZ can be a very animal focused experience and a vast majority of the guiding is behind wire, albeit blocks of 500 acres and upwards.

NZ guests are paying for trophy size so you need to familiarise yourself with SCI scoring as the cost of shooting a silver medal red stag is very different to a gold.

The biggest challenge for making the leap for you might be getting a valid visa, unless you’re already a NZ citizen or in a relationship with a NZ citizen as hunting guides aren’t on the skills shortages list.

It’s an incredible contrast and experience working in NZ and if you can make the leap I’d thoroughly recommend the experience.

 

[Taff]

I know a few guides, non of them do it full time, even the best have other jobs as fencers etc, there are full time cullers, a different thing all together, most are subsidised by there partners income.

 

[Stevie/P]

My son recently qualified as a sparky is considering emigrating NZ I’m encouraging him to go.
If I could go back fifty years and have seen how this country has become he’d of been born there.
The British people are great it’s such a shame how successive governments have totally let the good people of the United Kingdom down.
Shame on all of them.

 

[jimmy milnes]

Loved my time working on site in NZ, I found the people to be fantastic, really welcoming and down to earth with a brilliant attitude to work life ballance.
Never hunted with a guide over there but hunted with the lads off site loads. I found that aspect to be totally different to hunting in the uk. Much more relaxed an more of a social event with mates.

 

[McKenzie]

Have you visited NZ yet? I lived there for 7 years in the 80’s, married a Kiwi & have made numerous trips back. We’ve discussed moving back but every time we do the sums we’re better off living here & going for a month a year & staying with family there. The people are their greatest asset but they seem to be fleeing in hordes. It’s a really expensive country now. Go & check it out, very attractive but so is Scotland!

 

[Macnucator]

Have you visited NZ yet? I lived there for 7 years in the 80’s, married a Kiwi & have made numerous trips back. We’ve discussed moving back but every time we do the sums we’re better off living here & going for a month a year & staying with family there. The people are their greatest asset but they seem to be fleeing in hordes. It’s a really expensive country now. Go & check it out, very attractive but so is Scotland!

I was there in February this year, and absolutely amazing country, only a short time in the north and most of the time in south island, my age would probably go against me now for a job, but I'm fitter than alot of lads half my age.

 

[McKenzie]

Pleased to hear that you’ve checked it out & yes, the mainland is the part I prefer too. The majority of our family are around Christchurch & Nelson, one of our sons has just moved to Wellington for a new job but we have lots of friends dotted around the North Island as we lived in Auckland for a few years.

+ People, landscape, weather, roads.

- Cost of living, poor housing stock, no historical buildings or architecture, no native mammals (other than a bat), any mammals are treated as pest species & poisoned or shot, American style employment (really **** entitlements), cultural opportunities limited, health insurance required & so on. Also, if I remember correctly if you moved there you wouldn’t have access to firearms for the first 3 years, a consequence of that Australian prick that went on a shooting spree.

Your best bet is probably to marry a Kiwi but good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Taff]

I came to Nz in 2015, no job to go to just money in the bank, bought a house, which today would cost you twice as much, in that time fuel has doubled, electricity is going through the roof, mortgage rates are coming down from a high, lucky I don,t have one, it generally takes two incomes to live here and I don,t mean live well. Just to give you idea wages have gone up by $10 a hour in that time, and fuel by 80c per litre, plus you have to add road user charges. Employer’s tend to think they are doing you a favour, luckily mine is pretty good as he knows I can afford to walk if I want. The building industry has fallen through the floor here, even Auckland is struggling and that is the powerhouse of the country.
Nz is at a crossroads in its history, divisions among the rich and working class are getting greater, also between pakea and Māori regarding historical injustices.
On the bright, fishing is good, plenty of hunting as long as you can afford it.

 

[Feugh]

The people are their greatest asset but they seem to be fleeing in hordes. It’s a really expensive country now. Go & check it out, very attractive but so is Scotland!

Where are they going?
I’m in NZ right now and enjoying it. As you say, the people are really pleasant.

 

[Freeforester]

Where are they going?
I’m in NZ right now and enjoying it. As you say, the people are really pleasant.

According to a relative living there with her NZ born beau, many but by no means all are heading for Australia.

Housing costs, basic foodstuffs also eye watering compared to many other places. Their policiticos are about as competent as ours too, which isn’t what a small remote island economy needs.