The duck hunting season got off to a positive start around the country.
For game bird hunters, the first weekend of May is like another Christmas when friends and family come together for a fun day out, and for many, it’s a tradition that goes back generations.
“Opening Weekend is a high point in the rural calendar, and people from cities travel to wetlands and waterways far and wide to be part of it,” Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan said.
“The excitement has been building, and I’ve been sorting my decoys, training my dog and working on preparations, as have many of my friends and family.
“However, like most in Fish & Game, we spend the Opening Weekend working and supporting our ranging teams and hunters across the country. Like most of my colleagues, I’ll get my chance for a hunt in the coming days.”
Jordan said feedback from hunters on the opening day has been positive.
“We could have done with some rougher weather to get the birds moving more, but it sounds like it’s been a great day with lots of birds for the table or the freezer. The great thing about hunting season is there are many more opportunities to come, and conditions will improve in the coming weeks.
“We’ve had a couple of good breeding seasons, and more rain and rough weather will mean birds disperse out to ponds and other wetlands, providing more hunting opportunities.”
Regional Wrap:
• Northland
Good numbers of birds were seen, and some hunters were able to get close to their bag limits. A number of offences were detected, hunting with no licence and lead shot.
• Auckland Waikato
There were good numbers of birds being shot in the region despite the beautiful weather, which isn’t good for ducks. Unfortunately, there was some non-compliance on private land with people shooting more than their bag limit, using lead shot, shooting birds on ponds where ducks are fed, and using guns without the magazine restriction. One person had four offences.
• Eastern
Hunters had a great day out with family and friends. Harvest was fairly average, with some doing better than others. More than 65 hunters were spoken to with only one without a licence.
• Lower North Island
Fine weather across the lower North Island favoured ducks on opening morning. Blue skies and light winds are not what the hunters prefer, as this allows the waterfowl to fly high in search of large water bodies where they will congregate out of reach of hunters. Overall, hunter behaviour was very good this year, with high compliance with regulations and following safe firearm practices.
• Nelson Marlborough
Foggy conditions across parts of the region, clear and calm conditions elsewhere plus cagey mallards and few hunters about meant tough going for hunters. All hunters dealt with were fully compliant, but lots of places were not shot, meaning plenty of refuge areas for birds.
• West Coast
West Coast hunters awoke to an overcast morning and excellent hunting conditions. Those hunters encountered by rangers had good bags. Those that had focused on areas holding good numbers of birds rather than traditional opening weekend spots did the best. Most hunters encountered were compliant, apart from a small group who let the team down by not having licences.
• North Canterbury
The region has suffered from dry weather, but where there was water, there were hunters, and the ducks were frequently coming in, providing hunters with plenty of opportunity. A small number of offences were detected, but a large majority of the hunters followed the rules.
• Central South Island
Hunters have been harvesting a good number of paradise shelduck and relatively low numbers of mallard ducks. Conditions were reasonable but some ponds that are normally hunted were dry. The majority of hunters followed the rules, but there were a small number of offences, mainly possessing lead shot within 200m of water.
• Otago
Conditions on opening day were fine ands most hunters had a good day getting mixed bags in moderate numbers. Two adults were issued offence notices for no licences, but otherwise, everyone encountered was following the rules and enjoying the day.
• Southland
A nice breezy morning in Southland kept the birds low and active. Some good shooting for many ponds, especially those with decoys set for the wind. It’s great to see friendly groups, including many families. Overall here was high compliance with only one hunter with no licence.
