Everyone always asks what we do in the “off season,” but for the Driven team there isn’t one! Rolling out of trade show season, we jump right back into it! We kicked off the spring by heading half way across the world to New Zealand to hunt the majestic red stag with Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts. We were joined by good friends, Darren and Sherri Martin, Clint and Whitney Walker, Whitney’s dad Kevan Fouts, editor Adam Helwig, and cameraman Bryan Lemke. The roar was in full swing and the Driven team was ready to rock!
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4 flights and 25 hours later we finally landed in Queenstown, New Zealand!
A look at Leithen Valley….God’s Country.
This is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world!
The girls were ready to get out and put some big stags on the ground.
There is nothing like getting up on the mountain at first light and hearing roars echo throughout the valley, or catching a glimpse of a monster stag on the skyline… These are not things that you just see or hear…they are things that you feel and get your heart pumping!
Putting our Nikons to work trying to spot a stag to go after.
As we crested the hill, there were multiple stags roaring just below us so we set up overlooking a small wallow, hoping one would make it’s way up in front of us. As soon as we sat down, things got crazy! The sound of limbs breaking, and thrashing in the brush erupted only 60 yards away from us. We knew that it was a stag rubbing and tearing up a tree so we immediately got ready. This went on for sometime and it seemed as though the stag wasn’t moving, so we decided to stalk up and see if we could get a look at him. We never expected what would happen next!
As we got closer, we could see that the stag actually had his horns all tangled up in the vines that he had been raking!
The more he tried to free himself, the more he got himself wrapped up in the nasty vines. As we stood there in disbelief, wondering what to do, Pat stood up and said “We have to cut him out.” He got on the radio and got our guide, Olly, who had been glassing on the hillside above us, to bring a tree saw.
As we devised a plan to cut this beast out, Nicole started to look worried. These are huge animals with extreme power and this situation could get dangerous in a hurry, but we had no choice. If we left him there tangled up, he would die.
Olly got down with the stag and started to strategically cut the vines out of his rack!
Nicole on the other hand, decided to go find herself a safer place to watch from!
After about 15 minutes of cutting, the vines finally came loose! The stag was free! He was so exhausted from trying to free himself that he just laid there and watched us as we backed away so we didn’t put anymore stress on him. The next day we were all relieved to see the stag on top of the mountain above grazing, and he looked great! Although it was an intense and dangerous situation, we saved that animal from suffering. At that moment, it wasn’t about harvesting an animal or the hunt, it was about the responsibility of a true hunter and conservationist.
Clint was the first to break the ice, and put this monster stag on the ground!
It didn’t take long for the rest of the Driven team to get in on the action!
Check out the character on Whitney’s stag!
One of the coolest things about these animals is that each one is so unique and different.
Kevan with his first red stag!
Darren and Sherri Martin joined us on our last trip to New Zealand and took beautiful stags, and this year was no different. Check out these studs that hit the dirt, Driven style!
Sherri Martin with her beautiful dark horned stag she took with her TC!
This was a special stag for her because we also got to celebrate her birthday while in camp. That’s one heck of a birthday present! Happy birthday Sherri!
Nicole’s turn! This stag tested Nicole’s patience and roared his head off on the hillside above us, but finally caved to a little expert calling by Olly and Pat.
When Pat gets his Mathews in his hands, you know something is about to go down, but when this incredible massive stag turned the corner and started down the hill towards us, I was overwhelmed by sound of Pat’s heartbeat pounding over his wireless mic. This is a true king!
Outdoor Edge time!
Even cameraman Bryan Lemke got the opportunity to get in front of the camera and harvest his first red stag with the TC!
Rach, Nicole, and Bryan having some famous Leithen Valley pies celebrating the weeks success.
It was time to measure up some of these huge animals!
Olly and Nicole adding up Pat’s stag. Almost 500″! 8 stags on the ground with a total of almost 3500″ of horn!
After an unbelievable hunt, we spent a day in Wanaka and did a little sight-seeing. Pat and Nicole jumped out of an airplane last time they were in New Zealand, so now it was Bryan and Adam’s turn!
What a rush!!
Adam taking it all in one more time before we leave…
Breathtaking.
Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts is truly amazing….from the unbelievable hunting, to the top notch accommodations, sheer beauty, and most importantly wonderful people that run this place. Special thanks to Rach, Olly, Alan, Mama Sue, and everyone at Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts!
As the sun finally set on this trip of a lifetime the adventure that we lived and the memories that we made will never die.
Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts
www.leitehnvalley.com
info@leithenvalley.com