Presnell Sporting Collection Vetting New Zealand Hunting Experience

By: Destination Club News
Date: November 11, 2009

In April of last year, Sean Finley, the Vice President of Member and Concierge Services at the Presnell Sporting Collection, visited the idyllic terrain of New Zealand as part of the young club's thorough vetting of each of their experiences available to members. Finley has written about his experience for The Virginia Sportsman.

Training for three months prior to the trip, Finley fired arrow after arrow in anticipation of the coming excursion, hoisting his young two-year-old daughter onto his back to prepare himself for the arduous but stunning New Zealand landscape. After the 90 days of training and the 22 hour flight, Finley had touched down in Christchurch, New Zealand for his five day trek.

Patrolling the 6,000-acre ranch via 4x4 that afternoon, Finley was immediately in awe of his surroundings. "The scenery on the South Island is breathtaking to say the least," Finley wrote. "I truly believe I have never been anywhere more beautiful on this planet. It is amazing how clean it looks and feels. Typically, the weather is a blue-sky 50-60 degrees during the day and down to the 40s at night. The air is, quite simply, pure. The streams are so clear that you do not even fish unless you can see them. There were moments when I just stopped, looked around and realized how lucky I was to be in this spectacular land."

Guided by John McBride, the owner of the Spey Creek Lodge, Finley was already stalking a large red stag within 10 minutes the next morning. The wind shifted and the trophy stag was up the mountain before a shot was taken. Over the course of the day, the pair saw over 20 other trophy stags, breaking twigs or rustling bushes and alerting their target before they could get a shot.

The next day was punctuated by an eight hour search for the perfect shot. Less than 20 yards away from a "silver-medal" red stag, Finley waited patiently for the his target to take but a few steps forward to set up a clear shot, only to have the stag dart up the mountainside at the last moment.

Day 3. Spying a group of red stags from atop a mountain just a mile from the Spey Creek Lodge, Finley and McBride were caught by one stag that looked attractive enough to pursue. Closing within 100 yards and dropping all non-essential gear, the pair would close to within 32 yards. Finley would take his shot, striking him behind the front shoulder. The stag lunged forward and out of view for the moment. "That was a great shot," McBride would tell Finley. The stag would expire just 80 yards away and Finley and McBride would return with a trailer and 4x4 to retrieve their 14-point silver-medal stag.

A new brand of destination club, the Presnell Sporting Collection markets themselves primarily as an experience club. Members enjoy privileged access to the finest fishing and hunting the world has to offer. From bone fishing in the Bahamas to shooting waterfowl in Alberta to tracking big game across the African plains, the affluent sportsman can enjoy over 60 nights of access each year to their choice of experiences, all under one membership.

Still in the Founding Membership phase, the club is offering discounts and preferred travel benefits to their first 25 members.

While spending three days atop the rugged terrain of New Zealand isn't for everyone, the vetting process is a staple at virtually all destination clubs. Executives across the industry visit countless homes in search of the one that meets their and their member's requirements. Checking bed/bath configurations, access to local amenities, HOA usage rules, and countless other metrics, these club agents identify if a property should be pursued.

Most other destination clubs don't go to the extent of killing a red stag when evaluating their club experience, but learning about the vetting process while speaking with a club can provide additional insight into the member experience. To receive a free list of other suggested due diligence questions, request a copy of our Destination Club Guide. And if you are a current or former destination club member and would like to help the vetting process for current destination club prospects, please feel free to contact us at contribute@destinationclubnews.com to elaborate on your experiences with your club.