Southern Lakes Branch NZDA

22/02/2025

Are you aware of the Changes proposed to the Arms Act? Submissions due 28th Feb

This link has some helpful information

Linktree. Make your link do more.

10/02/2025

Sunday’s long-range shooting workshop at Fairlight Range was an awesome day of learning, skill-building, and pushing limits on the range. The morning started off wet and misty, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of our keen shooters. As the skies cleared, we got into some solid long-range shooting, stretching out to 600m.

A huge thank you to our instructors Greg Hudson and Shaun Moloney, who brought their experience, knowledge, and patience to help everyone improve their marksmanship. Their guidance made all the difference, and it was great to see participants refining their technique and gaining confidence with every shot.

We had a fantastic crew of shooters, from those new to long-range shooting to more experienced hunters fine-tuning their skills. The camaraderie and willingness to learn made for a top-notch day on the range.

Thanks to everyone who came along and made this event a success! Looking forward to the next one.

17/01/2025

Long Range Shooting Workshop - Sunday, 9th February 2025 9am - 3pm.
Join us for an expert-led Long Range Shooting Workshop at Fairlight Range, designed to help you master precision shooting techniques and build confidence in long-range marksmanship.
This event is ideal for hunters, shooting enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to enhance their skills under professional guidance.

Instructors:
Greg Hudson – Custom Guns
Greg Hudson, owner and gunsmith at Custom Guns, brings a wealth of expertise in fi****ms, custom builds, and precision shooting. Learn from his deep knowledge of firearm tuning, long-range accuracy, and equipment optimisation.

Shaun Moloney – Wildskills NZ
Shaun has five decades of experience in the New Zealand bush. He is a professional shooter working in pest control and MSC and NZ Fi****ms Safety Authority Fi****ms Instructor/Examiner

What You’ll Learn:
-Fundamentals of precision shooting
-Firearm setup and optimisation
-Ballistics, range estimation, and shot placement
-Practical shooting drills and live-fire exercises

Pre-Event Rifle Review – 30th January
Registered attendees can bring their rifles to the Southern Lakes NZDA club meeting on Thursday, 30th January, where Greg and Shaun will review your equipment, offer expert feedback, and ensure you’re set up for success before the workshop.

Limited spots available! Don't miss this unique opportunity to train with two top shooting experts.

14/01/2025

What an incredible day at the Lake Hayes A&P Show 🎯 The Deerstalkers stand was a massive hit, selling over 400 burgers and 200 sausages – completely sold out by 2:15! 🍔🌭

A huge thank you to all our amazing members who volunteered their time and effort to make the day such a success. Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated, and we couldn't have done it without you!

Thanks to Fiordland Meats, Queenstown Wedding Hire, and Prestige Marque Hire for their generous support! 🙌

A Special shout out to Nathan Stringer for organising the food and to Blake Veitch for being on duty from 7:30 to 4pm and A big thank you to Dave Veitch for organising the stand this year! 👏

Zealand Deerstalkers Association Inc

12/01/2025

What an amazing Range Day! 🌞 We had stunning weather and over 25 kids joined us, including NZDA member children and many from the Queenstown, Garston and Athol communities. Ages ranged from 3 to 16, with lots of first-time shooters giving it a go! 🎯

It was fantastic to see kids and parents having so much fun together, making it a memorable day for everyone. A massive thank you to Arron Shaw for helping organize the event, Shaun Moloney for providing the range and ensuring safety, and Shona and Matt Taylor for allowing us to use the range.

Special shout-out to Dave Veitch and Dave Rider for running the event and cooking up a great BBQ by the river! 🍔

Big thanks to Hunting & Fishing Queenstown for their generous contribution of ammunition, which allowed all the kids to participate.

Wildskills Hunting & Fishing Queenstown New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Inc

06/01/2025

Join Southern Lakes NZDA for a Big Weekend! 🎯
Two events A&P Show and Family Range Day.

A&P Show Lake Hayes – Sat, 11 Jan 2025
📍 Lake Hayes Pavilion

We're calling for volunteers to help at the A&P Show, one of our key annual fundraising events! Help us prepare, cook, and serve venison burgers while connecting with fellow club members.

✅ Free entry, lunch, and a cold beer provided!
✅ No experience needed – just bring a helping hand and good vibes!

💥 We need around 13 volunteers from 8:30 am - 3:00 pm! If you can't do the whole day, there are also morning and afternoon shifts available. Message us or register now!

🎯 Family Range Day at Fairlight – Sun, 12 Jan 2025
📍 Fairlight Range | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Bring the whole family for a fun day of learning and shooting practice! Club members will teach the basics of safe shooting in a friendly environment.

✅ BBQ lunch & swim at the Mataura River afterward
✅ Open to all skill levels – no license? No problem, contact us!

💰 Cost:

NZDA Member Family: $10

Non-Member Family: $25

🎯 Register https://southernlakesnzda.org.nz/event-5978785

10/12/2024

Family Range Day at Fairlight – Sunday, Jan 12

Bring the family for a fun morning at the range! Whether you’re teaching the kids or just keen to learn the basics, this is a great chance to get outdoors and connect with other families.

🗓 When: Sunday, Jan 12, 9 AM – 12 PM
📍 Where: Fairlight Range (45 mins from Queenstown on SH6)

Club members will guide kids through safe shooting, with plenty of fun targets.

Parents, you’ll need to supervise, and you’re welcome to bring your own rifles.

No gear or license? Let us know, and we’ll help you join in.

We’ll wrap up with a BBQ lunch and swim by the Mataura River—perfect for a summer day out!

Link to register in the comments.

10/11/2024

What a fantastic day on Sunday for our Interclub competition shoot between the Southern Lakes Deerstalkers and Southland Branch! It was a great battle to determine which club would claim the bragging rights for best shooters, and Southland’s very own Tom Mead took the top spot!

It was also fantastic to see the kids getting involved—future champions in the making! Watching their enthusiasm and skill on the range was a highlight for everyone. 🌟

A huge thank you to our amazing sponsors, Custom Guns and PointsSouth for their support. Their contributions made this event possible and added that extra edge to the competition.

Well done to all who competed, and here’s to more friendly rivalries and sharpshooting!

Southland NZDA - New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Inc

05/11/2024

Don't forget this weekends shooting competition with Southland NZDA at the range.
Register for the event here and get all the details
https://southernlakesnzda.org.nz/event-5638271

29/08/2024

Great monthly meeting last night with a great turn out of new and old members
We had Nikki from Real Meals showing off their products with some sampling (favorite may have been the Mash with Bacon!!)


Real Meals

27/08/2024

Come sample some of these at our next meeting this Thursday 29th Sept
https://www.facebook.com/share/19iGCLbbU9UHJRhQ/?mibextid=xfxF2i

In November 2023, we launched a range of four products specifically designed for our young adventurers. Chef-made with the highest quality ingredients, this range has been created with the same standards and passion as our adult offerings.

25/08/2024

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350387507/no-hut-left-behind-volunteers-rally-save-doc-facilities-demolition

DOC says its current network is “not sustainable”. But armies of volunteers have already saved hundreds of huts, and they're fixing for a fight if any more face the chop.

13/08/2024

Confirming the date for the interclub shooting competition between Southland NZDA and Southern Lakes NZDA. 10th November- NZDA members only please and Preregister via the slnzda event page:

25/07/2024

Great monthly meeting tonight
We were lucky enough to have Oli from www.allovertaxidermy.com come and do a Head Mount demonstration
Oli is based in Tarras and happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Thanks Oli for a great demonstration

18/07/2024

Make sure you get your tickets for the event and come down and Support the Wapiti Foundation
Hosted by Hunting & Fishing Queenstown
Great spot prizes and some awesome product in the Silent auction.
Also Frank will cooking up some Brisket Sliders!

Hi Queenstown

Make sure you show your support for Fiordland Wapiti Foundation by purchasing a ticket for what promises to be a great night - 2nd August '24 at the Hunting & Fishing Queenstown Store

A massive shout out to our amazing co-sponsors! We are pleased to offer you the chance to bid via silent auction on the highlighted products, valued at over $7,800!!!

*Please note we have set a reserve on these items, meaning the Wapiti Foundation will receive at least $2,700.

In addition, we have over 50 giveaways for the night with a combined value of $4,400!!!

All ticket proceeds go directly to the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, get yours today!!!
https://events.humanitix.com/copy-of-war-on-wapiti-the-roadshow-or-queenstown

Southern Lakes Branch NZDA
InfiRay Optics New Zealand
Leica New Zealand
Rab NZ
LOWA
Stoney Creek NZ
Tatonka Hunting
Ledlenser
Back Country Cuisine
Hunters Element
Companion Leisure
Traeger Grills
YETI ANZ
Spika
Hunting & Fishing New Zealand

14/07/2024

Thanks to a grant from Queenstown Lakes District Council, we purchased a number of PLBs for club members to borrow for free. ALWAYS take one with you - regardless where you are hunting

At around 5.30pm on Saturday night, Police were alerted to two missing hunters in the Longwoods Forest, Southland.

The hunters had become lost in the dark after losing a trail near the top of the Longwood Range.

Police were able to establish communication with the hunters and their exact location via cell phone.

A Land Search & Rescue New Zealand (LandSAR) team was deployed; however, the pair were eventually able to reorientate themselves and made their way out of the forest as search teams arrived on scene.

While on this occasion the hunters were lucky, the situation could have been horribly different if they lost cell phone coverage by moving from their original position.

Forests can be harsh and unforgiving during the winter months. The pair were extremely fortunate to get out quickly with overnight temperatures dropping to -4 degrees in the area.

Neither of the hunters were adequately prepared for the bush, lacking a personal locator beacon, GPS, and map, alongside no basic survival or fire lighting equipment.

Police would like to use this as a reminder that no matter what activity you may be doing in the bush, you need to be prepared.

Any one-day hunting or tramping trip has the potential to turn into an overnight situation and those entering the bush need to consider their preparedness for that scenario.

If you are thinking of entering the bush, here are some simple tips to keep yourself safe:

🗺️ Choose the right trip for you - Learn about the route and make sure you have the skills for it.

🌡️ Understand the weather - It can change fast. Check the forecast and change your plans if needed.

🧣 Pack warm clothes and extra food - Prepare for bad weather and an unexpected night out.

🗣️ Share your plans and take ways to get help - Telling a trusted person your trip details and taking a distress beacon can save your life.

💭 Take care of yourself and each other - Eat, drink and rest, stick with your group and make decisions together.

Personal locator beacons can be hired for as little as $10 from many Department of Conservation Visitor Centres and outdoor tramping and hunting stores.

If you have purchased a beacon, make sure you register it at www.beacons.org.nz

For more information on outdoor safety, helpful free resources and videos, head to https://www.adventuresmart.nz/

14/07/2024

This weekend was the National NZDA Conference in Wellington; and we had a strong representation from our committee attending.

Our branch for a "little old club tucked down in the South", we did well..... so Congrats go to the following

Laura Pinney for "Best Horned Species by a Junior" with her chamois
Hollie Brooks for second in "Best Antlered Species by a Junior" with her fallow
Koren Taylor achieved first and Hollee Brooks second in the "Best Game Animal Trophy taken by a Lady"
Blake Veitch (10yrs) won "Young Deerstalker of the Year" and also place first in the "Tony Orman Trophy" for his story
And Kerrin Burnnand won a number of categories for his photos

Well done to everyone!