TAHR
(HERMITRAGUS JEMLAHICUS)Travel time to hunt
- 2.5 hrs by chopper
- 4 hrs by aeroplane + car
Admired not only for his curved ribbed horns but also for his exquisite long coat and mane.
Striking features
Reddish or dark brown in color the bull Tahr has short head hair, long body hair and a mane of lighter color that billows from his neck and forequarters falling almost to his knees.
Tahr are sure footed, agile and alert, their senses of smell and hearing are acute and they have exceptional eyesight. Some mature bulls can weigh over 300lb but a nanny (female Tahr) will usually weigh no more than 80lbs. Horns are present in both male and female Tahr but are a lot larger in males. Premium trophies have horns between 11” – 14” long.
Peak season
The Tahr rut runs from mid-April to early June and fighting is prevalent among the bulls at this time, they fight by standing tall and collide at full force with their magnificent horns.
Origin
Although a native of the Himalayas in Nepal, they were introduced into New Zealand in 1904 by the Duke of Bedford from his small herd at Woburn in England. New Zealand is the only country that has free range Tahr outside their natural home, which offers us an amazing opportunity to give you the opportunity to hunt this rare breed. In the South Island of New Zealand these animals have adapted, flourished and are prolific in our Southern Alps environment. Their thick coats and mane cover the bull Tahrs entire body. This coat helps them to thrive in the extreme cold New Zealand elements.
Long distANCE HUNT
Long distant shots can be expected when hunting Tahr, as they take home in mountain ranges, and love the mountainous terrain. Tahr are often spotted hopping vertically from cliff to cliff. A well zeroed rifle with good optics is a must when chasing this species. 7mm or 30 cal magnums are ideal but .270 or 30.06 still work well. We will provide the option to a precision loan rifle.
Delicacy
Young nanny meat is a delicacy and when available is savored here at Kuranui.
