Book Your Adventure
1-800-346-8747

Blog Posts > Hacks and Tips > Consultant’s Corner: Traveling to the New Zealand, Australia, and New Caledonia

Consultant’s Corner: Traveling to the New Zealand, Australia, and New Caledonia

WTA Team

| January 6, 2017

WTA Team
January 6, 2017

When you’re going on a hunt to New Zealand, Australia, or New Caledonia, some special rules will apply. WTA Consultant Frank Cole is a frequent international traveler, and he sat down with us to share some tips on these unique tips and how you can get the most out of them.

1. Tourism

If you are adding in extra days for tourism, plan on renting a firearm to make your travel easy. WTA Travel is happy to assist with all your additional South Pacific tour and travel needs and wants. They often combine leisure and hunting trips for our clients and know all the ins and outs of getting you the trip of a lifetime. This is especially important if you’re bringing a non-hunter along with you on the trip. Make sure that person will have plenty to do if not accompanying you out in the field!

2. Firearms

If you are taking a firearm to Australia, you will need a firearm permit for every Australian province you stay in. Each has a separate application, fee, and permit. Applications must arrive by traditional mail with payment couple months prior to your departure. You must receive your firearm permit in the US prior to your departure date. Allow time for international mail. Check with your post office in advance to see how long it will take for the applications to arrive so that you will have your permits in hand prior to travel.

3. New Caledonia

No military calibers allowed in New Caledonia. Always make sure you’re checking the regulations regarding guns wherever you’re traveling to hunt. This will ensure your trip goes smoothly.

4. New Zealand Currency

New Zealand firearm permit is $25 NZ. Get these New Zealand funds at your international departure airport so you will be prepared when you arrive. It will save you a step upon arrival, keeping it simple.

5. Contact your outfitters

While it may sound strange, many clients never bother to talk to their outfitter on the hunt. Please take time to contact your outfitter at least once prior to your hunt. Spend a few minutes going over expectations and concerns with them. It’s time well spent. WhatsApp and Skype work very well with no expense.

Recent Articles

Discover a Sportsman’s Paradise in New Mexico

Erik Schell February 17, 2026

Estate Hunting: A Closer Look at a Misunderstood Hunting Option

Eugene Catrambone February 11, 2026

In the Jungle for Ocellated Turkeys: A Hunt Like No Other

David Draper January 28, 2026

Popular Big Game Hunts

Over the counter Wyoming Cow Elk hunt

Elk ·

Wyoming

From

$3,500

Outfitter #980

Outfitter Special

Brown Bears of Katmai

Brown Bear ·

Alaska

From

$40,000

$38,000

Outfitter #1011

Hunt the world renowned Katmai Preserve with one of Alaska's most professional outfitters May 10-19, 2026

New Mexico

Mule Deer

Discover a Sportsman’s Paradise in New Mexico

February 17, 2026

Alabama

Rocky Mountain Elk

Estate Hunting: A Closer Look at a Misunderstood Hunting Option

February 11, 2026

Mexico

Ocellated Turkey

In the Jungle for Ocellated Turkeys: A Hunt Like No Other

January 28, 2026

Discover a Sportsman’s Paradise in New Mexico

New Mexico has long been celebrated as a sportsman’s paradise, boasting an unrivaled variety of big-game species. With six native…

Estate Hunting: A Closer Look at a Misunderstood Hunting Option

Estate hunting, often referred to as high fence hunting, is one of the most misunderstood segments of the modern hunting landscape. The term can carry strong assumptions, but those assumptions rarely reflect the reality of what these hunts actually involve.

At its core, estate hunting offers hunters access to large, privately managed properties where wildlife is carefully stewarded, and hunting opportunities are predictable, efficient, and highly successful. These hunts are not intended to replace traditional public-land or limited-entry experiences. They are meant to provide an alternative option for hunters with specific goals, time constraints, or physical considerations.

Understanding estate hunting begins with recognizing how the properties operate and what the experience looks like on the ground.

What Defines an Estate Hunt?

Estate hunts take place on privately owned ranches or preserves enclosed by a perimeter fence. These properties can range from several thousand acres to well over 100,000 acres, depending on location, species, and management model.

Within these boundaries, wildlife populations are actively managed year-round. Landowners and outfitters focus on habitat improvement, water development, herd health, genetics, and balanced harvest rates. The result is a stable wildlife population with a strong age structure and consistent hunting opportunity.

Because animals remain on the property, outfitters can offer hunts with a very high harvest probability. In many cases, hunters can pursue specific age classes, horn characteristics, or species that would otherwise require years of applying or limited-entry permits.

What the Experience Is Actually Like

One of the most common misconceptions about estate hunting is that animals are easily located and harvested quickly in a confined space. In reality, many estate properties are vast, and hunters may never see the perimeter fence during their hunt.

These ranches often feature diverse terrain of rolling hills, timber, brush country, open plains, canyons, and river bottoms, allowing animals to behave naturally. Hunters glass, stalk, track, and pass animals just as they would on large private ranches or expansive Western properties.

Once on the ground, the hunt feels far more like a traditional spot-and-stalk or guided private land experience than what many imagine when they hear the term “high fence.”

…

Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Preference Point Deadline: October 31, 2025

The deadline to purchase Wyoming preference points is October 31. If WTA is already managing your TAGS applications, you’re all set. If not, don’t miss the chance to secure points this year. It’s the perfect time to talk with a TAGS consultant to start a new portfolio or grow your existing one.

Wyoming’s system is unique. Unlike other states, you don’t automatically receive a preference point if you’re unsuccessful in the draw. Instead, you must log in after July 1 and purchase your points separately. Building points is critical if you want a shot at drawing a Wyoming tag. Over-the-counter opportunities are a thing of the past. Today, only 25% of non-resident tags are issued randomly. The other 75% go to applicants with the highest point totals.

If you want to hunt big game in Wyoming, building preference points isn’t optional…it’s essential.

Watch Wyoming Video

While preference points are an investment in the future, don’t let that keep you from starting now. While Wyoming has units that require 18+ points, there are also good opportunities to hunt sooner. There are elk, deer, and antelope hunts that can be drawn with 0–3 points. Think about it this way—the more points you have, the more options you have.

View Wyoming TAGS Hunts