Where to hunt Wapiti
Wapiti is another name for Elk, often used to avoid confusion with the other meaning of “elk” - “moose” (in British English and in reference to European populations). At BookYourHunt.com we use the term “Wapiti” to refer to populations of Elk outside North America, both introduced (e.g. in New Zealand), and the Asian subspecies, including Altai and Tian Shan Wapiti (a.k.a. Maral) and Manchurian Wapiti, which can be hunted in countries like Russia and Kazakhstan.
Price distribution
The prices for Wapiti hunts start at about $2,500 in Russia. However, most hunts that imply a week’s journey into the wilderness are priced between $5,000 and $7,000. Hunting in New Zealand is priced in the same range. The most expensive options are combination hunts, and the opportunities to hunt the Tian Shan Wapiti, the biggest kind in terms of both body and antler size of the Asian Wapiti.
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Learn more from our blog story
For many North American hunters the biggest challenge is not even harvesting the trophy, but drawing a lottery tag that is required for hunting the desired animal. Wapiti hunting is one way out of this problem. Another is obtaining an elk tag over-the-counter, and here are a few tips on how you can do it.
22 Jun 2017 Elk Tags Over the CounterWhen to hunt Wapiti?
In New Zealand Wapiti can be hunted a year round, the best time for hunting being the rut, which in the Southern Hemisphere takes place in May. For the Asian subspecies of Wapiti the optimal period for hunting is about the same as for North American Elk: the rut usually peaks in late September or early October. In some areas there is an additional season in spring to hunt for antlers in the velvet (which are highly valued by traditional Chinese medicine).
Hunting methods All hunting methods (6)
Across the range of the Wapiti humans developed a number of ways to hunt them. For example, during the spring velvet antler season the stags experience a great need for minerals to build their amazing crown with. Hunters use this to advantage and wait for the Maral over salt licks. However, most trophy hunters prefer to hunt the big bull during the rut, when dominant bulls gather large harems of cows, and guard them against competing bulls. The best guides typically combine stalking with calling, using both bull bugle and cow calls to attract or close the distance on dominant bulls. A hunter with archery or other short-range gear may also hunt Wapiti from a ground blind or tree stand, usually over a waterhole or food source.
Why hunt Wapiti?
Wapiti hunting is not only an exciting and challenging pursuit, but a great opportunity to experience striking and varying landscapes and hunting techniques, from the high peaks of New Zealand, to the dense woods of the Russian Pacific coast, where a Siberian Tiger may raise a question or two about your claim for the trophy. Add to this the general thrill of Elk hunting - the bugle of the bull raising the hairs on the hunter’s neck, the sight of the Monarch of the Woods, breathing clouds of smoke into crystal clear mountain air - and the offer to hunt Wapiti becomes irresistible. And the majestic antlers of the bull will foster lasting memories of your adventure.
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