The Southern Alps will kill people who underestimate them. They have. They will continue to. A short list of the things you should think about before you book.
Weather. South-westerly fronts off the Tasman can drop the snowline a thousand metres in a matter of hours. Sustained southerlies can blow for days. Above 1,800 metres a winter front can produce sub-twenty-degree windchill and full whiteout. Plan for at least one weather day per week. Trust the forecast. Don't push a stalk into a closing front.
Rivers. The braided rivers of the eastern Southern Alps — Rangitata, Rakaia, Godley, Hopkins — rise fast with rain or snowmelt. Cross at the widest, shallowest braids. Pack low. Unbuckle your hipbelt before stepping in. If in doubt, wait. Most rises drop within a day. Most river fatalities happen to people who didn't wait.
Avalanche. Slab and wet-loose avalanches are real risks on May–July alpine faces. Tahr country is steep enough for both. Check the New Zealand Avalanche Advisory before you head into the hills. Carry the right gear if your hunt involves significant high-angle traverse. If your guide says no, the answer is no.
Steep ground. Tahr live on bluffs. Bulls roll. Do not fire on a bull positioned where, if dropped, he will end up in ground you cannot recover from. Trekking poles, microspikes, and an ice axe in icy conditions are not optional in a hard winter.
Hypothermia. The killer in NZ alpine country. Wet, plus wind, plus exhaustion, plus altitude. Stay dry inside the shell. Eat continuously. Drink continuously. Carry an emergency bivvy or bothy bag. Know the early signs in yourself and your party.
Communications. Cellphone coverage in tahr country is essentially zero. A registered 406 MHz Personal Locator Beacon is the New Zealand backcountry standard. A two-way satellite messenger like a Garmin inReach or Zoleo adds two-way text, weather updates and a redundant SOS channel. NZ Land Search and Rescue and NZ Police strongly recommend carrying both on a serious trip. Beacons can be hired from Macpac stores, i-SITES, outdoor stores and service stations across the country.
Helicopters. The most exciting and most dangerous mode of transport on a tahr hunt. Brief on approach side and rotor clearance before you load. Stay within the pilot's sight at all times. Never go around the tail rotor. Secure rifles, poles and hats — anything loose can fly into the rotor wash. If the weather isn't right, sit it out. Multiple NZ alpine fatalities have come from pushing weather.
Insurance. Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation and trip-interruption cover is non-negotiable for international hunters. NZ's Accident Compensation Corporation will cover the medical treatment of accidental injuries that occur in NZ to anyone, citizen or visitor — that is real and useful — but ACC does not cover repatriation, illness, or trip cost. Get the insurance.
Personal fitness. The single biggest safety variable that you control. A fit hunter is a safe hunter. An unfit hunter is a liability to themselves and to the rest of the party. Train for your hunt for at least twelve weeks. Train uphill. Train with a loaded pack. Do it.