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Ben DB
New Zealand
Registrace 4. 01. 2014
Instagram - bendb_wildaboutnz
Rod & Rifle NZ - rodandrifle.co.nz/articles/author/ben-brown/
Rod & Rifle NZ - rodandrifle.co.nz/articles/author/ben-brown/
Putting in the Time - Heavy Public Land Stag - Wapiti, Red Deer & Tahr Hunting New Zealand
Highlights from my missions - April to June '24.
zhlédnutí: 9 496
Video
A Bit of Luck - 325DS Public Land Red Stag - Tahr, Chamois & Red Deer Roar Hunting New Zealand.
zhlédnutí 12KPřed 5 měsíci
Highlight of my hunting missions from December 2023 to April 2024.
A Hunter's Stories - Red Deer & Chamois Hunting New Zealand
zhlédnutí 10KPřed 9 měsíci
Highlights of my missions from April to November 2023.
The Journey (Part 2) - Chamois & Red Deer Hunting New Zealand
zhlédnutí 8KPřed rokem
Highlight of my missions from February 2023 to March 2023.
The Journey (Part 1) - Red Deer & Chamois Hunting New Zealand
zhlédnutí 6KPřed rokem
Highlight of my Hunting Missions from May 2021 to November 2022. Telling the story of what it takes to find Mature Game Animals in the Southern Alps of new Zealand. #hunting #newzealand #roar #adventure #animals #fitness #hiking #wilderness
Hard Yards Stag - Red Deer, Chamois, Tahr & Roar Hunt
zhlédnutí 14KPřed 3 lety
Highlight of my missions from May 2020 to April 2021.
A Mountain Sojourn - Chamois Hunt
zhlédnutí 1,8KPřed 4 lety
5 Day solo mission on the west coast hunting for another 10" Chamois Buck.
The Adventure Spirit - Chamois Hunt
zhlédnutí 2,3KPřed 4 lety
A film depicting what the adventure spirit means to me.
A Trophy for the Ages - Deer & Chamois Hunt
zhlédnutí 7KPřed 5 lety
A Trophy for the Ages - Deer & Chamois Hunt
Wilderness Wonder - Chamois, Tahr & Goat Hunt
zhlédnutí 3,2KPřed 5 lety
Music : Time - Klangkarussell czcams.com/video/iu3Wfx-mgjE/video.html
Himalayan Tahr Parkour
zhlédnutí 935Před 5 lety
Great to see the boys practicing their parkour moves! Was crack up to watch them performing insane 360 and showing mad hops. haha
West Coast Adventure - Chamois Hunt
zhlédnutí 3,2KPřed 5 lety
Epic 6 day mission which saw me climb over two different mountain ranges, while hunting for chamois.
Late Winter Hunting Summary - Red Deer & Chamois
zhlédnutí 953Před 6 lety
As a passionate deerstalker, there's nothing better than glassing and filming our majestic big game animals. For me it's a way of life and everybody that knows me, knows that the question of what are you doing this weekend is a stupid one. The more you live life in the mountains, the more you get out of it.
Mid Year Hunting Summary - Red Deer and Chamois
zhlédnutí 874Před 6 lety
Mid Year Hunting Summary - Red Deer and Chamois
March Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer Roar
zhlédnutí 1,1KPřed 6 lety
March Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer Roar
February Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer & Chamois
zhlédnutí 879Před 6 lety
February Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer & Chamois
January Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer, Chamois & Tahr
zhlédnutí 941Před 6 lety
January Hunting Summary HD - Red Deer, Chamois & Tahr
Red deer, chamois & Tahr Hunting NZ 2017
zhlédnutí 4,8KPřed 6 lety
Red deer, chamois & Tahr Hunting NZ 2017
South Island New Zealand deer and chamois hunting
zhlédnutí 2,3KPřed 6 lety
South Island New Zealand deer and chamois hunting
Tahr and Chamois Hunting on the West Coast
zhlédnutí 445Před 6 lety
Tahr and Chamois Hunting on the West Coast
Arbor Rift Tahr Hunting - Landsborough Wilderness area
zhlédnutí 3,5KPřed 7 lety
Arbor Rift Tahr Hunting - Landsborough Wilderness area
No way my missus would have 3 heads in the lounge. Had to settle for 1
Yeah I'm pretty lucky in that sense, know plenty of mates that are only allowed 1 max in lounge like yourself. Nonetheless, hope the hills are treating you well mate!
Loving the vids Ben.
Good stuff mate! The further you go back into my films the worse the quality gets haha. This film is where I changed up a few things and got a 4k camera (ZX80). Keep charging mate!
@bendb_wildaboutnz I'm stuck in Antarctica for another few months so just binge watching nz hunting videos each night is my therapy.
Enjoyed the way this was filmed and edited. Minimal narration and just the raw wildlife/scenery footage. Pleasure to watch and listen to.
Thanks mate! I always want these films to be about New Zealand's beautiful rivers, mountains and game animals than having me at the center of each film. Its great that people like yourself see that this film is so much more than an amazing public land stag! Hope the hills are treating you well!
Worth considering the optimism about how difficult the places one can get into also require getting out of. Everyone has their personal ability limits. Some get away with it for life, others get dinged up soon, and the black bag is an incongruously cool way to finish a trip & maybe irritate the better half. Knowing when to turn around or try another way or sit it out makes a lot of sense. It's surprising more don't come to grief given the popularity & ease of access into some places that can turn very nasty for the inexperienced or unprepared. Wild animals belong to the hunter once legally taken, and if someone is doing that for carcasses that is far better for the environment than some hunter that expects jam on it killing stuff all. Many advocate for the current significantly overpopulated pest status that has caused severe ecological damage in many places (shown in Landsborough footage). It's why their input to wild animal/noxious pest management is mostly inept and lacks credibility. When enough representative areas have healthy palatable understory plants to support viable populations of native species that rely on that ecosystem, they are being positive (this isn't endorsing DoC's achievements either). At a recent event attended by many who had been involved in professional hunting since before commercial carcass recovery, the consensus was there are now probably as many wild animals around then. Some were now being employed to shoot to waste.
The mountains certainly teach you a lot about how to live that's for sure! Experience definitely helps making better calls in the mountains but fatigue can cancel that out. That's why I work hard at staying as fit as I possibly can. Game animal management should primarily focus on ecological health i.e healthy carrying capacity of different areas. Ultimately, the commercial interest (WARO) and recreational hunters need to work together to achieve better ratios of breeding females and males. Nonetheless, appreciate the feedback!
Epic mission as always mate, great stag! Well deserved - luck happens when preparation meets opportunity 😉 The lounge looks great 👍 Cheers for the vid.
Thanks mate, certainly nice when hard work pays off! Good to see you getting after it in the outdoors! All the best!
what part of the country is this?😊
Most of the footage comes from Fiordland, Canterbury High Country and Marlborough.
The photos and video are brilliant, you put in the hard yards, and deserve the spoils, awesome
Appreciate the feedback mate, certainly feels good having more success this year. All the best in the hills!
👏 👏 🦌 🦌
Awesome work Ben, great old stag. Inspiring stuff 🔥🔥
Thanks mate, he's certainly a proper old stag! Hugely rewarding after so many years of coming home empty handed. All the best the hills mate, keep charging!
Luv your vids Ben, next level, down to earth.....awseomw mate, keep up the great work.
Thanks heaps mate! I'm glad I didn't waste your time! Keep charging and all the best in the hills!
Well done Ben, quality photography, good advice from a young fella, all the best for the future
Thanks mate glad you enjoy it! Hopefully fellas younger than me just think about that advice as its certainly help me! I see a lot of poor choices being made by young fellas these days, to which, a lot of the mental issues are due to. Nonetheless, Hope the hills are treating you well!
solid bro
Cheers bro!
awesome vid Ben! and yes, public land hunting is luck, and timing, but your not gonna get either by sitting on the couch , ya gotta get amongst it! keep em coming mate, mint heads by the way
Thanks mate and your right, you need to be in it to win it! Hope the hills are treating you well!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz cheers mate, never a bad day in the hills 😀
Well done Ben, i enjoyed your vidio mate, great work and I'll subscribe 👍
Glad you enjoyed the video mate! All the best!
Congratulations mate, Cracker heavy timbered 12
Thanks mate, the heaviness in his antlers is the real winner for me! Hope the hills are treating you well!
nice Ben, luck plays a part in every hunt, but the more effort you put in the less you have to rely on it. Those teeth looked munted! I've often wondered if they wear out quicker on the tops with the harder feed. Cheers for the great video.
Yeah mate, I reckon the harder you work the more luck you build up. Certainly nice when it all comes together! Its interesting because he has the best mineralization/ compact bone in a set antlers I've ever held which suggest the feed was top notch. Not sure if that would affect his teeth degrading quicker, potentially though? Thanks mate, great to see and rose getting into the hills regularly! All the best!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz Minerals are key for sure. I've watched a slip for years and the deer gravitate to an area of about 2 square metres and it's a large slip. I'm guessing there's a natural mineral lick there with something they need. Rose has got her act together....mostly lol. Heading for a few days on Friday. looking like a wet walk in. Hopefully catch you in there sometime.
Wicked footage mate enjoyed watching this
Cheers mate, glad you enjoyed the film! Keep charging!
That was excellent and really well edited
That's for the feedback mate, glad you enjoyed the film!
Mean video bro. My lounge looks the same as yours with my 3 favourite stags. So much hard work and time went into getting those animals.
Love it mate, nothing better than looking up at those stags smiling at all the hard work and time you invested to get them! Glad your running the same loungeroom set up!! All the best!
Another awesome vid. Ben Remember you created the opportunity for the luck to present itself. Success needs both to make the it happen🙏👍
100% agree, crazy how life goes as a hunter though. One mission you've having the worst time with weather and animals the next you secure an amazing 12 point stag. What I didn't talk about was the fact that a party of hunters had just hunter that area. Everywhere I went fresh boot prints were found! Luck is a funny thing!
More than not bad,fantastic even royal. Congratulations, well deserved.
I know aye, couldn't believe how even he is when I got up to him. No more than a 2" different in all tines. The real winner for me is the weight of antlers, excellent compact bone/mineralization laid down. Hope the hills are treating you well!
Love your work and commitment.
Thanks for your feedback, certainly try to be consistent! All the best!
EPIC👏🏕
Thanks mate! Hope the hills are treating you well!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz yep got 2 meat animals last week(venny) and 2 stags and a meat animal in roar, and plenty of encounters, might try squeeze in a tahr hunt soon if im lucky🏕
@@Sako75.7mm08 That's the go mate, sounds like your freezer will be full for a while! All the best for your potential Tahr hunt, the mountains in Tahr country are starting to look epic with all the snow!
Bit of luck sure! But definitely can't take away the fact you have put in the hours/km's and passed up plenty of other animals! Great life coaching lessons thrown in there too!!
Thanks mate! For me, I'm constantly reminding myself of the 100's of mission I've gone home empty handed. You can do everything right but without luck it can never happen. Also good to see you working in that health and fitness space. Nothing better than helping people become better versions of themselves! Keep up the awesome work mate!
Ain’t watched yet but I reckon she’ll be good Ben👍🏼. Stoked already for you mate 👊🏽
Cheers brother! Hopefully you'll enjoy the film, certainly worked hard! Hope all is well with you brother!
Mahi man 🔨
Cheers bro, I have no doubt you've been punching out some epic missions as well (if your the same Rueben I meet a couple years ago?). All the best bro!
Love the voluntary adversity! Great advice 👍
Cheers bro, I have no doubt you've used the same skills gained from the mountains to help solve urban jungle problems. Hope all is well bro!
Thank You again Ben, for sharing your adventures with us. Regards Johno
Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback! Hard to beat a life in the Southern Alps! All the best!
Epic video and trip Ben. Did you get any snaps of the stag after you shot him? Or are you saving them for another magazine article? Also how long and how many points was the casty? Great talk on the mental side of things. I think a lot of people would benefit from big solo missions where they can’t rely on a friend to talk to or get comfort from. Being solo in the mountains will do wonderful things for the mind body and soul!
Hey mate! I shot him right on last light and took a couple of rubbish photos. There will be another photo of the head in the next rod and rifle edition. I didn't take that many photos due to exhaustion and I also didn't want to give the spot away in the slightest with everything so competitive these days. When you read the article you'll see why this mission was a battle. The cast antler had 7 points and about 38-39" long. I actually filmed a clip with it but I didn't do it correctly as it showed exactly where I was. Been meaning to go back and get it but haven't had the time/motivation to get it. The spot blew up on social media only a couple day's after I shot him!! Then it was cleaned out! 100% mate, solo hunting would help everyone in some way or at the very least learn something valuable about yourself. Good to see you enjoying some quality time in the hills!!
Bloody awesome mate. Legend 👍
Cheers mate, glad you enjoy it! Hope the roar treated you well!
Inspirational fella... you are on point with regards to putting yourself into uncomfortable situations and working through them... keep up the awesome mahi
Cheers bro! 100% aye gotta do the mahi to get the treats!
Someone has to bag and tag those who miscalculate, worth keeping at the back of the mind. Mum/wife/darling crying after unloading those who don't make it doesn't help, and the places the incautious end up in is often nasty, so someone else is put at risk. Looking before leaping, and knowing when to pull in the head makes sense. Getting wet because of underestimating an overnight storm is a lesson. Some storms there last days, when helicopters can't do the babysitting.
Epic missions - so sick !!!
Cheers fellas, awesome to see you young fellas truly getting after life and punching out some solid mission. Good to know there are some solid next generation adventure hunters out there! keep charging fellas!
Your video are brilliant, the way you capture the moments, animals, bird life and the mixture of scenery is awesome, and so impressed with your outlook on life, great advice.
Thanks for the feedback Peter! I put a lot of thought into the structure of each film and stoked you enjoyed the film. Hard to beat time in the Southern Alps! All the best mate!
Hey mate thanks for a great video you show excellent camera skills great animals in magnificent country Your life advice is spot on It’s adversity and hardship which shape you into a person of substance and make those hard won trophies so meaningful in our superficial throwaway world 😮
Thanks for the feedback mate, we are so lucky in NZ to such amazing backcountry and game animals only a stones throw from home. Yeah agree, the journey is far more important than the destination. Just yesterday I shot a ripper 38" long, heavy timber, old, super even 12 pointer public land stag. Funny how life goes as hunter. From massive miles and consecutive storms to a 2 day trip that produces a ripper stag, gotta love life in the hills! Hope the hills are treating you well mate!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz yep the hills always treat me well ..at age 62 I’m not as fit as I used to be but can still get anywhere I want to go . We really are lucky Well done with the stag mate - that’s the great thing about hunting is that you never know it certainly resonates with me sometimes you put massive effort in for little reward Then along comes a “ too easy one “ - you earn them all in the end hot barrels mate!
Another great video. Really enjoy the way you capture the raw country we hunt in. That place doesn't care if you live or die. I'm coming to end of my hunting life so really treasure every last minute I can get.
100% its such a humbling place, to which, I wish more people got to experience the life or death nature of being in the mountains. During a couple of those storms I knew with out a shelter its all over. I always laugh when I get back from a tough mission and read or watch people complaining about insignificant 1st world problems. That's a great attitude to have mate, hope the mountains give you plenty more soul enriching experiences and memories.
i dont think people who dont get out in the hills understand the things we get into. you learn that your body and mind is way stronger than you think. love this place of trying and pushing, im 61 now and still love it
Couldn't agree more, it's no joke in the mountains! it's a classic case of, if you know you know because those that have never been pushed by mother nature will have no clue as to how brutal it can be. Awesome stuff mate, enjoy those hills!!
cool video. great to look over places ive visited cheers
Thanks mate, gotta love New Zealand's backcountry! Hope the hills are treating you well!
The illegal helicopter fly ins 💔💔. Another awesome video man.
Apologies about delayed reply mate don't have the comment notifications on. Oh mate it was heart breaking for sure!! I know a hunter who showed me photos of a helicopter illegally dropping hunters off in that exact spot a year later. All the best mate!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz oh no stress at all man!! Good luck on the next one
Great video, lots of country and animals in magnificent surroundings, and great advice about life for a young man
Thanks mate! We are pretty lucky to have the country we do in New Zealand, so many awe-inspiring landscapes! Hopefully a couple young fellas take that advice on board. I really feel for them in this digital world full of so much noise! All the best mate!
Beauty!
Thanks mate! Hope the hills are treating you well!
You’re so right about the outdoors preparing for adversity in life. Old Mother Nature, you can’t control it however you can minimise its impact on you, just like life!
100% mate, no better place to help you deal with the complexities and difficulties of life than the mountains. haha yeah there's definitely things you can do to make hard times in the mountains more enjoyable. Big one for me is synthetic down products, would rather be wet and warm than wet and cold. Keep charging mate!
Good on you man legend. You lift a lot of people with your videos
Thanks mate appreciate the feedback! Sometimes I don't know where the motivation comes from to make these films as its a lot of time and effort. Being a pretty disciplined person helps but also I want to give back to society in someway, that for me means doing things that don't come with any monetary gains. Hope life and the hills are treating you well mate!
That was a EPIC watch, cheers for the effort you put into that and condolences on losing your dad, great advice and animal footage scenery birds and goodluck with upcoming adventures, keep the electrolytes up and one step at a time gets it done, good to watch without music also, gives a more realistic relaxing vibe when outdoors, roar trip next week, you must of been gutted to find 21 gut bags, south westland is a jewel of a place, spent many a night in there thru s@#t weather, great finish with the kea 🏕
Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback! Life's never easy but the mountains is great place for recharging all the batteries and gaining clarity/perspective. I really enjoyed not using background music as it had its technical challenges due to the fact I run a super low budget production. The beauty and chance to bag a stag of a lifetime is what draws me to South Westland. The pre 1960's stags are still there but usually get shot by the choppers. This trip had 5 continuous days of storms with some being as intense as you could get! Keep living Southern Alps dream mate!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz nice one yes so true mate, the right song can compliment the footage, i got out of the bush with a red stag that afternoon you dropped this latest production, ive been on a low sugar diet and was sweating profusely thru some absolute windfall vines rubbish, really sapped my energy, and while drinking water and sugar free V not a good choice without the electrolytes i was in the hurt locker zone, multiple muscle leg cramps all of it, anyway was allgood, got eldest sons 5th birthday on saturday then im off on my roar trip monday-sunday, excited is a under statement, havent had a overnight hunt since last roar for 3 nights so im chomping to get after it, running the farm and building a house for us in spare time im pumped for a reset recharge in the alps, getting gear checked prepped, rains set in on the west coast here which is good clears for 4 days and then is looking not ideal for 10 days, hoping it improves over weekend so i can stick with plan A for south westland, like you said thou after the storm bares fruits, shot my biggest bull tahr, buck chamio, red stag down south westland, it will always give you a animal encounter, and with the calibre of your latest red stag that would smooth over any less than ideal adventures, what a impressive specimen, unfortunatly there has been a lot of waro up and down and side to side of the alps, such a waste of a resource, keep up the charge and look forward to whats around that next corner🏕
@@Sako75.7mm08 Yeah mate getting that nutrition right is super important, dehydration is far more crippling than low energy/low food. Muscles rely heavily on electrolytes to contract and release, certainly worth keeping on top off. A good tip is if you start cramping up stop for 30-60 while drinking and and eating because your body struggles to process and replenish energy/fluid stores when on the move. Good luck on the coast that's by far the hardest place to get a mature stag due to the constant waro pressure. Weathers not looking great next week!! Have a great time mate, I'm sure you'll create some awesome memories!! Keep charging!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz cheers mate il let you know how i get on 🏕
Thanks for another great video.Nice stag and chamois. Makes my day when I see you release a new vid. I'm 62 this year and still try to do the hard yards.just come home from a big trip into the Lewis pass area. Knee pain and cramp are my big problems. Will try your tips in a few weeks when I walk in for the sika roar. What doesn't kill you definitely makes you stronger.
Only 5 mins in, great videography man lots of nice still shots - you had the tripod out a ton? “That’s what mountain hunting is, a lot of problem solving - with optimism 😅”
Thanks mate, I reckon still shots are easier to digest than motion shots. So I make the effort to set the tripod up as often as possible. haha yeah mate, especially when your cold, wet and got a big day ahead of you! Hope the hills are treating you well!
Always an awesome watch Ben , really appreciated your story man
Cheers mate! Life's certainly a challenge for everyone, nobody goes through it unscathed. Hope life and hills are treating you as well as they can mate. All the best!
Hi Ben, I'm from Germany and planning a DIY hunting trip on public land, specifically for red deer. I'd love some advice on where to go and how to approach it. My friend and I are still figuring things out. Would it be possible to connect with you, perhaps via email?
Hey Mate, I'll detail all the basics of public land hunting below. 1. Go to DOC maps and use overlayers to find out where you can hunt - www.doc.govt.nz/map/index.html 2. Use DOCS Block info to figure out where you can hunt Red Deer 3. Get a hunting permit for your intended hunting area - huntingpermits.doc.govt.nz/huntingpermits/start (During the roar some areas are balloted) Once thats done you are free to hunt, below are some tips to maximise your success. Of note mature stags are super rare on public land so dont expect to get a mature stag. *Chose a block in the South Island. *Get as far away from any Huts and Tracks as possible. *Avoid areas that can be easily access by 4x4. *Avoid hunting during the roar Mid March to Mid April. If you want to hunt the roar then epxect to see a lot of hunters. *Chose a block between Malborough and Queestown. Best genetics for Red Deer between those two locations. Our Red Deer herds are not managed well hence why its so difficult to secure a mature red stag on public land. Nonetheless, if you beat the feet you'll 100% have an adventure and create many memories. Hope that helps!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz Thanks a lot, Ben! This is very helpful to kickstart the planning process!
@@steffenguschmann1969 All good mate. That's pretty much how I plan hunts. Also the harder you work, the more opportunities you will create. Especially when hunting on public land. Lastly, the east coast usually holds more Red Deer than the west coast of the south island due to less Helicopter / venison recovery pressure. If feral venison prices are high I would stay away from any west coast blocks. Happy hunting mate!
@@bendb_wildaboutnz To be more specific, which area should we generally consider since we currently have no idea?
@@steffenguschmann1969 I would look at blocks in Canterbury and Otago regions. Each block has a good overview by DOC as to animal numbers i.e. moderate numbers of deer will be outlined in the description - "Pigs, red deer and chamois are present in low to moderate numbers" < look for blocks with moderate levels if you want more opportunities. Great resource > www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/hunting/ The biggest thing is research (I put hours of research into finding areas) and follow the tips I gave in the first comment. Best thing about New Zealand if you try a block and its no good then all you need to do is travel 1 hour in a direction and you'll likely have more luck.
Nice video mate. interesting life story and great philosophy BUT most importantly, excellent filming and music!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed the video! Getting the music right or as close to right is bloody hard when your only using copy right free soundtracks. Takes hours to find reasonable ones that fit. Hope the hills and 2024 treat you well! Keep charging!
You’re awesome bro. Love your adventures and inspiration. Challenging me to get out there even more and look at life differently.
Cheers mate for the feedback. Life is a beautiful thing and the mountains are a great place to live life! Keep charging mate!
Hey buddy,enjoyed your vid.your a champion mate.brave man.and a great roll model.
Thanks mate! Just trying to do my best in this tough old world! Hope the hills are treating you well! Keep charging!
Hey Ben I might be way off but did your mum and dad live in Reefton years ago, if so I was good friends with them.
Geoff, nah they didn't live in Reefton. I must look like their son! Would be classic if it was the case! Hope the hills are treating you well!