Rod&Rifle Magazine

26/03/2025

If you've ever thought about trying shooting sicks, then check out our video review of the Vangard Shooting Sticks. Dave gives you a run down on how to best use them and when using them is worth it.

Check it out on YouTube!

20/03/2025

Meet the Rod & Rifle team!
Ben Brown ✔️ Another writer with plenty of experience in the hills, catch Ben's hunting tales, how-to's and reviews in most magazine issues.

Favourite species to hunt - Tie between red deer & chamois.

Favourite hunting moment - Being in a tent during the 2023 Haast Roar Period 1 while multiple storms ripped through over consecutive days. Thunder and lighting overhead certainly reminds you how powerful mother nature is!

17/03/2025

Don't forget to grab a copy of the Roar issue!!

We think there are some epic hunts to get you fired up for this year's roar in this one.

Let us know what your loving!

15/03/2025

The team's loving seeing what you're up to – send in your pic for a chance to WIN!

14/03/2025

Get your roar on! 🦌 📣
The annual Pureora Hunting Competition starts tomorrow, Saturday (15 March).

There's some amazing prizes to win and it's free to enter!
All you need to do is, follow the link below to get a hunting permit for Pureora Forest Park and surrounds, check out the competition, prize details and how to enter, then get hunting. Simple as that. ✅

Recreational hunters make a valuable contribution to controlling wild game animal numbers in Pureora, and this competition is about recognising that contribution and sharing valuable knowledge across hunting and conservation communities, to help protect our amazing forest that we all enjoy.

Any information, including where to find recording centres and competition rules can be found here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/events/regional-events/pureora-hunting-competition/
Get your permit here: https://bit.ly/4coyxl8

13/03/2025

Meet the Rod & Rifle team!
Adrian Bell ✔️ Adrian is our fishing guru and has fished all over New Zealand with plenty of experience in many types of fishing.

Favourite fish - Trout (to say which one would be like saying which of my children I love most).

Photos -
1. My largest salmon – caught surf-casting close to the mouth of the Rangitata.
2. I love the shot of my brown trout in the net from a remote stream on the Molesworth.
3. A shot of my largest trout, taken at the Tekapo canal (I’m wearing the right cap!)

10/03/2025

Buck Knife WINNER | Richard Hall

Samantha (21) taking time out to hunt tahr during Lowvember. First tahr for this father-daughter duo.

Awesome to see!

06/03/2025

Meet the Rod & Rifle team!
Selwyn Smith ✔️ One of our expert writers, you'll find a lot of Selwyn's work as technical reviews and how-tos.

Favourite species to hunt - Thumping big red Stags in the roar - what could be a greater thrill!

Favourite hunting moment - Glassing the big tussock country at the very tail end of the roar….suddenly a monster stag is spotted high up on a terrace – hinds in tow. He threw his head back and bellowed. At 800m away, we knew he was an absolute monster! We hatched a plan, dropped out of sight, and keeping the wind in check, stalked around the side of the leading face. 2 hours later, we peered over the ridge. There, in the waist high thick tussock, his antler tips could be seen glinting in the sun. Setting up, at just under 350m, we waited for him to stand. As he lifted to his feet, I squeezed off. The 7mm WSM held true, and he collapsed on the spot. At 328 DS, the stag of a lifetime had been realised!

04/03/2025

ZeroTech Bino WINNER | Blair Meehan

Blair's first tahr, shot on the same day as his first deer in Ahurihi.

Ripper day out!

02/03/2025

Buck Knife WINNER | Paddy Guild

This is his first red stag, taken during the Roar in 2024 on a hunt with his dad Simon and sister Polly.

What a hunt - epic photo Paddy!

27/02/2025

Meet the Rod & Rifle team!
Dave Benfell ✔️ Dave is the Rod & Rifle editor (as many of you will already know!)

Favourite species to hunt - Tough question. It’s almost seasonal, a majestic Bull Tahr in full mane, on a bluff in winter is hard to beat. A Sika stag single calling during the rut, a high country Red stag in a tussock filled basin.
If pushed I’d have to go Sika for their cunningness, awareness and my family history hunting them

Favourite hunting moment - Another tough question, probably anything to do with hunting with my family. Those memories are so cherished and are such a motivating factor in why I am passionate about working with Rod and Rifle. Whanau is incredibly important to me.

24/02/2025

Vol 46 Issue 2 OUT NOW!!

With the ROAR just around the corner, there are plenty of 2024 missions to get you amped for the upcoming period❗

Grab yourself a copy - in stores now 🦌

20/02/2025

Meet the Rod & Rifle team!
Harry Bodle ✔️ Harry runs the magazine day to day with the help of all the writers and R&R team!

Favourite species to hunt - Red and Sika deer, can't beat them!

Favourite hunting moment - It has to be my 2023 Roar Stag (photo included), we had done some serious kms chasing multiple roaring reds with no luck and were heading back to the hut that afternoon - so last chance in the area. I decided to let out a roar on the top of a bench and the rest is history!

17/02/2025

The Rod & Rifle team spent a few days together with Dave playing tour guide - and he was bloody good at it!

Managed to get out on the lake, and snag a couple of trout - stay tuned for Dave's filleting skills in an upcoming YouTube vid❗

22/01/2025

WIN!!

Buy a copy of the Rod & Rifle magazine or subscribe to win!

**Subscribers automatically go into the draw, if you have purchased a copy head to our website and enter.

Get amongst it ❗

Rod&Rifle Magazine is NZ’s best hunting magazine and is dedicated to hunting, fishing and related outdoor sports. Subscribe now.

22/01/2025

NEW ETHICAL KILL SHOTS VIDEO LIVE: Heart and Lung Shots Part One

The third instalment of nine videos in our Ethical Kill Shot Series is live team. The series is short videos covering many of the key points and various aspects to consider when lining up to take your shot at your game animal.

The latest video covers the initial considerations of heart and Lung shots.

There are two other videos on our YOUTUBE channel, covering Neck Shots and Being Paient.

Post your feedback and your own tips and tricks.

Link below:

A series of kill shots | Part 3 - Heart / Lung shots - Part 1 Rod&Rifle is dedicated to hunting, fishing and related outdoor sports, check us out www.rodandr...

13/01/2025

Tears On Ngamatea

Some of you might recognise Bruce and his stag from the Sika Show Prizegiving!
Bruce shares his insights on how hunting doesn’t have to stop as you get older .. just adapt slightly and we think it’s a ripper!

Have a read in Issue 1, on shelves now ❗️

10/01/2025

Up the Tahrs!!!

"We have a saying in our hunting group: “Tier two fun”. At the time, the grind can be hard – frustrating even. But it’s those tough moments that make trips like this so memorable. There’s something primal about surviving in the outdoors, at the mercy of nature, as you try to outsmart your prey. The hurt and struggle you feel in the moment turn into fond memories that last forever..."