Swazi Ambassador Spotlight - Baz

Baz has spent years hunting the wild places of New Zealand and beyond. From chasing tahr through the high country to hunting some of the world's most remote terrain, he knows what it takes to spend serious time in the outdoors.

It's the early starts. The big climbs. The bad weather. The missed chances. The days when nothing goes to plan.

That's what keeps him coming back.

We caught up with Baz to talk about the hunts that have stayed with him, the lessons learned along the way, and why you don't have to kill to have hunted.

1. What's the hunt that changed you?

It’s not one hunt that changed me it’s every hunt that keeps changing me. Every hunt I’ve done, and every hunt I will do etches into my mind  body and soul. I’ve hunted many parts of the world but hunting sheep and ibex in Kyrgyzstan did something different something I still can’t describe.

2. What's the biggest mistake you see new hunters make out in the field?

I see and tell new hunters not to put pressure on themselves to make a kill to call it a hunt. Too many people think the hunt is defined by the shot  but that’s only a fraction of it. The truth is 99.9% of a hunt is everything that happens before you ever pull the trigger the early mornings, the long days the missed chances the weather the waiting, the doubt, and the lessons learned along the way. 

3. NZ or Australia — where's the better hunt, and why?

This is a hard one. I’ve hunted everything Australia and New Zealand have to offer and I’ve done it more than once. But hunting tahr in the mountains of New Zealand stands above the rest. It has everything steep country unpredictable weather physical challenge and moments that test you. It’s the kind of hunt that demands everything you’ve got and gives even more back it has every single ingredient of adventure in it and To me, it’s the best mountain hunt in the world.

4. What's the one piece of Swazi gear you'd be gutted to leave behind on a trip?

I’ll be gutted to leave the hood behind. It’s one of those pieces that just ends up becoming part of every trip mountains, cabin everything in between. It’s been reliable in every condition I’ve thrown at it, and over time that kind of gear earns your trust without you really thinking about it.

It’s more than just a hoodie now. It’s been part of too many days out there to just leave behind without feeling it.

5. You're taking someone on their very first hunt. Where do you go and what do you tell them the night before?

I tell them Tomorrow we’re heading out for a hunt, but the focus is on learning not just getting a kill. We’ll be in easy, low lying country, not steep or extreme terrain so it’s a good place to start and get comfortable.

I don’t want you taking long distance shots. Only shoot if you’re very close and confident it’s a clean ethical shot. Otherwise, we’ll just observe practice and build confidence. The goal is to learn the process and enjoy the experience you don't have to kill to of hunted.