The journey to New Zealand is not a quick one! It did indeed take me some time to wrap my head around the fact that I left on March 11th… and arrived on March 13th. It’s a mathematical quandary that feels like traveling through a wormhole or time warp.
Does this mean that when I return to the States, I will be time-traveling back?
Maybe I will gain some insider trading secrets or know some amazing score of a game that goes way against the Vegas odds. Who knows!
After A LOT of flight time, a missed flight, and some serious jet lag, we made it to Glen Dene on the South Island. Amidst the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Glen Dene Hunting and Fishing is set in one of the most stunning hunting environments you will find anywhere.
We had a quick orientation to camp then headed out to sight in our rifles. I personally opted to rent a rifle from Glen Dene to ease the constraints of transporting firearms internationally. As well, hunters are allowed to bring up to 50 lbs of meat back from New Zealand to the United States, so I wanted to lighten my load for the trip home to accommodate this.
I typically prefer to use my own firearms when hunting, but I felt perfectly comfortable utilizing one of the Glen Dene rifles. However, I wanted to really familiarize myself with the gun.
Glen Dene has its own rifle sight in the area, which like everything else Glen Dene, overlooks the beautiful Lake Hawea. We settled into the bags and took turns firing off shots into great groupings. After a brief run-through of my rifle, I was able to get set and comfortable right out of the chute. I was able to throw out a good grouping and was set for the next day.
Once done sighting in, we retreated back to camp for our pre-hunt meeting before dinner. Our group was comprised of a wild and fun group of ladies hailing from North Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, and Colorado.
We were paired up with our guides and worked our way through morning plans, safety talks, and most importantly…what was for lunch. We retreated to our domes, which are luxury accommodations located at the Cross Hill Lodge. Packs were loaded, gear was set out and we were all ready for our first hunt in beautiful New Zealand.