RECCO-gnise the Benefits

If you hunt in New Zealand, you already accept that a certain level of risk comes with the deal. We might not have lions, tigers and bears, but the landscape more than makes up for it. It is wild out there!

Despite thorough planning and preparation, it only takes one little oopsie for a routine hunt to turn serious. That is where RECCO comes in. It is not flashy. It is not even something you actively use while hunting, and with the right gear, it is not even something you have to remember to pack. But when things go wrong, it can make a very real difference.

RECCO is a search and rescue technology that allows responders to locate someone carrying a small reflector built into their gear, like the hunter-favourite Bison 75. The reflector itself is completely passive. No battery. No charging. No buttons to press. It just sits there quietly shouting your location to search crews using a RECCO detector. From either the ground or from a helicopter, the signal is reflected back to responders, helping to narrow down your location.

Tatonka packs have been RECCO-ready for years. The technology has been sitting there, stitched into trusted hunting packs, quietly waiting. What is new is that New Zealand search and rescue teams now have the tools to use it. RECCO is now fully operational in New Zealand, with two search and rescue helicopter detectors deployed in September 2025 to boost year-round rescue capability. Based in the North Island at Waimarino and the South Island in Christchurch, these detectors allow rapid, wide-area scanning for missing people in dense bush, steep mountain terrain, and avalanche conditions.

Recent helicopter trials in the Southern Lakes showed just how effective this technology can be. Anyone who hunts that country knows how unforgiving it is. Visibility can be poor, terrain is complex, and ground searches are slow. Those trials highlighted the value of RECCO in real backcountry conditions, not just on ski fields, but in the kind of terrain hunters regularly move through. What makes RECCO appealing is how well it fits into the bigger safety picture. It does not replace a Personal Locator Beacon, and it does not replace good planning, but it's a wonderful boost to your existing rig that requires no additional thought. 

You still need to sign the DOC intentions book at each hut, carry proper navigation tools, and tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. RECCO simply adds another layer. A backup that works even if you are injured, unconscious, or unable to activate anything yourself. Because the reflector is always on, there is nothing to forget at the truck or the hut. If it is built into your pack, it is there for every hunt, whether you are planning a quick overnighter or a long push into the back blocks.

This is where Tatonka stands out. By integrating RECCO directly into their hunting packs, the pack itself becomes part of your safety system. No added weight. No extra complexity. No extra gear to manage. For hunters who value simple, robust equipment that earns its place, that makes a lot of sense.

In real search situations, helicopters fitted with RECCO detectors can cover large areas quickly, especially where bush cover or terrain makes visual searching difficult. While radar can sometimes pick up phones or head torches, a purpose-built RECCO reflector gives rescuers a stronger, clearer signal to follow.

Hunting in Aotearoa will always involve uncertainty. That is part of why we love it. Adding RECCO into your kit is a quiet way to stack the odds slightly more in your favour, and to give search teams another tool if you ever need them. This is not about planning for failure. It is about respecting the country we hunt in and making smart choices that don't get in the way of the hunt itself.