Hunting Discipleship Course

As part of the YWAM family, you will participate in our daily rhythms of morning prayer and worship, shared meals, and community life on campus. You will have spiritual mentorship alongside experienced hunters who will help support you in your hunting journey.

We have strict guidelines we have to follow to make this course happen. We want to maintain the safety of all of our staff and students onsite and on this course. As such we will have an extra layer of vetting for all those wanting to attend and train during the course to keep everything as safe as possible.

Although this course is centred on building hunting skills we also want it to be a chance to grow your faith and relationship with God. We believe you will experience God’s kingdom work as you worship with your entire heart, soul, mind and body. You will attend teaching sessions, worship times and fellowship with your fellow students.

After completion of the Hunting Course, you may feel to continue with YWAM and take a Discipleship Training School or do Mission Building at our campus or carry on into other employment or study elsewhere. Either way this course is designed to ignite a passion in your heart, to encourage you to explore God’s will for your life and to release new vision and opportunity for your future.

The hunting discipleship course is a 4 week course offering you a unique mix of discipleship, teaching and hunting.  It offers the opportunity to grow in your walk with Jesus while at the same time learning how to identify, hunt and harvest wild game with like minded friends.  As part of the course each student will complete a HUNTS Training course qualification which is run in association with the New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association.

- Ethics, Ecology and Regulations

- Equipment and food

- Backcountry travel

- Navigation

- Firearms Selection, safety and marksmanship

- Big Game Animals

- Hunting Techniques

- Meat, Skins and Trophies

- Outdoor Emergencies and Survival Techniques

The hunting side of the course will include several local morning or afternoon goat hunts on private land. We will also take you deep into New Zealands wilderness for 2 multiday (3 to 4 day) hunts on both public and private land in alpine environments. On these hunts you may encounter wild pig, goat, alpine chamois, red deer and fallow deer. You’ll be trained and discipled by local Christian hunters who are solid in their faith and who possess some awesome local knowledge in terms of hunting in the top of the South Island!!

Most mornings on the base (Mon-Fri) begin with personal time with Jesus, daily chores and then corporate worship/intercession/prayer/ministry time with other students and staff. Evenings are generally free but some activities will be planned along the way. One week of the 4 will have a more intensive discipleship focus with a guest speaker. Two days per week will be allocated as day off ie free time. These may not fall on a weekend as the hunting experience and rifle range activities will be scheduled for weekends. As a student at YWAM Nelson you will be living in a faith community with other students and staff. This gives you a unique opportunity to grow in servanthood, have great discussions, be discipled, learn more about Him and be inspired in your faith. You will be living in dorm rooms with the same sex. Married couples have their own rooms. There are communal bathrooms. Meals are cooked for you from Mon-Fri lunchtime. You will cater for yourself from Friday night through to the weekend. YWAM Nelson is a smoke/vape, drug and alcohol-free environment. If you have any concerns about this, we are happy to have a chat.

- Binoculars
- 3-4 season sleeping bag (minimum 0-degree comfort rating)
- 3-4 season sleeping mat
- 60-90 litre hiking or hunting pack
- Quality hiking/hunting boots
- Warm hat - Sun hat
- Two sets of thermal underwear (tops and bottoms)
- Fleece or Merino main layer jersey or hoodie
- Waterproof raincoat
- Gators
- Head torch

- Rifle
- Range finder
- Personal cooker/jetboil
- Personal tent (1-2 man)
- 4×4 vehicle (all running costs will be reimbursed for personal vehicles used)
- Personal basic first aid and survival kit
- PLB (personal locator beacon) or similar

Please be aware that you may need/want to buy or upgrade equipment once on the course. Or you may need cater for yourself if you have special dietary requirements. So having addition finances will be needed. If you have questions about gear and what to buy before the course starts, we are happy to talk with you and give advice. Also, sometimes you may find you're better to buy gear here in NZ as we have a great selection of the gear you'll need plus local knowledge.