Becoming A Bow Hunter

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we sit down with Roy Sloan—General Manager of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation—for a deep dive into one of New Zealand’s most iconic herds and the conservation challenges they face. Roy shares his decades of experience managing the only free-range wapiti (elk) herd outside of North America. From helicopter culling operations and habitat regeneration to the myth of the Fiordland moose, this episode is packed with insight, stories, and surprising facts about what it takes to protect a world-class hunting environment. Topics Covered: The Origins of Fiordland Wapiti: How elk came to New Zealand—and why their survival is a miracle.Managing a Wild Herd: The 30-year evolution of the Wapiti Foundation’s work in conservation and herd control.Balancing Act: Why reducing red deer and maintaining ideal bull-to-cow ratios matters for both ecology and trophy quality.Moose in the Mist? The ongoing mystery of New Zealand’s lost moose population.Trophy Growth & Genetics: What Roy