Fallow Deer Bucks are a striking trophy… vivid coloration in their coats, they are also the only other species to have unique palmated antlers like a moose. Introduced from Europe, they have spread through much of New Zealand and are now well established…and we have some of the biggest bucks in country! This is an ideal hunt if you are an “antler lover”.

Fallow deer hunting requires both stealth and good eyes as they are an extremely wiley animal. Unlike other deer, fallow bucks during their rut (croak) will actually make a rut pad or stand on a seasonal rut pad and wait for the females (does) to come to them to be mated. 

On our free range fallow deer hunting properties it is not uncommon to see up to 100 deer on a fallow pad. New Zealand Safaris has exclusive hunting rights to two of the top free range and wild fallow deer hunting properties in the country. We guarantee that no other New Zealand hunting guides will have access to the quality and quantity of fallow deer in the country. 

The rut for fallow deer runs through the month of April, with outstanding trophy heads these properties are home to one of the highest populations of pure wild fallow deer. Glassing from the truck into the rolling foot hills this hunt has similar aspects to that of a mule deer hunt. Capes on bucks vary from brown, meinal, to white and spots that run through the back on all phases of coat. On our estate, we also have exceptional trophy bucks that will rival any other New Zealand hunting outfitters.

In New Zealand, there is no seasonal restriction to hunting fallow deer, meaning generally they can be hunted throughout the year but for trophy fallow bucks, they are in hard antler from March-September.