Auckland / Waikato > Hunting Access

Since waterfowl hunting began in New Zealand, the Waikato/Hauraki area has been known as the country's ‘Duck Factory.’ Those living in the Auckland/Waikato region have ready access to the best waterfowl hunting in the country – most of it within an hour’s drive of Auckland City.

We have a range ofmaps which are intended to point you in the right direction by identifying the major hunting areas on public land, how to find them and get to know where the action is. Major areas of wetland owned by the Crown and Fish & Game are readily open to public access via roads, walkways and boat ramps.

While the maps online here represent the most comprehensive guide ever published to hunting in the Waikato, there just isn’t room to list every hot spot. By exploring and asking other hunters, whitebaiters, eelers, landowners, sports shop employees and others who get out into the country you’ll latch onto other possies and build up a comprehensive knowledge of your chosen area.

To see the maps, please click here

HUNTING IN AUCKLAND/WAIKATO

Hunting today suffers many threats; wetland drainage, habitat deprivation, pollution, the animal rights lobby, eco-fundamentalists, paranoia over firearms and worst off all, indifference.

There are groups who safeguard and share your interests. To join a group concerned with gamebird hunting and the outdoors, please contact your local user group.

· Eden/Papakura/Clevedon/ Miranda: Bill Gordon, 15 Weston Ave, Papatoetoe

· Franklin: Grant MacKay, 84 Torkar Rd, Clarks Beach

· Hamilton: Michelle Houghton: 20 Priscilla Crescent, Hamilton

· Helensville: Keith Hargraves, 5 Solan Dr, Waimauku

· Huntly: Wayne Rendall, 136 Reyner Road, Huntly

· Kumeu: Mike Sheppard, C/- Westgate H&F, PO Box 584, Kumeu

· Mercury Bay: Bruce McWilliams, 15 Sarah Ave, Whitianga

· Morrinsville: Rachel Toner, PO Box 223, Morrinsville

· Ohinemuri: A. Jesperson, 4 Walmsley Cres, Paeroa

· Otorohanga: Bruce Bush, 3 Hinewai St, Otorohanga

· Putaruru: Martin Bennett, 689 Arapuni Rd, Putaruru

· Te Aroha: Irene Needham, 65 Gordon Avenue, Te Aroha

· Te Awamutu: Mark Preston, 167 Flat Rd, RD 5, Te Awamutu

· Te Kauwhata: Andrew Kerr, 1123 Travers Rd, RD 2, Te Kauwhata

· Upper Piako Management Assoc.: Mike O’Donnell, 122 Bowen Pl, Thames

· Waitemata: Len Moule, 89 Lynden Ave, Northcote

DUCK NIGHT

The ever popular Duck Nights will again be run in Hamilton with the guest speaker being the man who invented “Wonder Duck”, with the Rusty Dog Outdoors in Pukekohe taking over the Auckland Duck Night from Sportways with the customary tall yarns, guest speakers, calling competition, etc.

Rusty Dog Outdoors are also again running its popular Duck Hunters Eye Opener shoot, contact the store for particulars.

If you want further information on what is planned call Waikato Hunting & Fishing Hamilton, 07 849 0297, or the Rusty Dog Outdoors, 09 238 6447.

DUCK NIGHTS

· Auckland, Wednesday 18^th April 2007, at Rusty Dog Outdoors, 197A Manukau Rd, Pukekohe, 7.30pm

· Hamilton, Tuesday 24^th April 2007, Centennial Lounge, Te Rapa Racecourse, 7.30pm.

CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS THIS YEAR

No significant changes for the 2007 season.

CANADA GOOSE 24HR MOONLIGHT GOOSE HUNTING – EXTENDED

Also with the increasing popularity of the 24 hour goose hunt to tie in the full moon, there will be one period this season, and an extended period through June and August:

· 6.30 a.m. 27 May 2007 to 6.30 p.m. 6 June 2007 and

· 6.30 a.m. 26 June 2007 to 6.30 p.m. 26 August 2007 inclusive.

HUNTING ON FISH & GAME AND CROWN LAND

A General Authority (Which is free to all licence holders) is required to hunt on Fish & Game Land – some 1700ha being owned by the Auckland/Waikato Region purchased from hunters’ and angler’s funds. The Authority can be obtained by sending a stamped, self- addressed envelope to Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game, Brymer Rd, RD 9, Hamilton.

To hunt on Crown land managed by the Department of Conservation you require a require a similar permit (also free). These can be uplifted from Sportways Guns Shed, 49 Normandy Rd, Mt Eden, Waikato Hunting & Fishing NZ, 4/431 Te Rapa Rd, Hamilton, or by contacting the Department of Conservation Hamilton, Private Bag 3072 Hamilton.

TAKE A MATE HUNTING – FOR ONLY $2

Do you have a mate, relative, friend, co-worker or know somebody who is keen to give duck hunting a go, but doesn’t want to pay the full cost of a licence? If so, on a strictly first come, first served basis, limited to the first 50 hunters who write into the Auckland/Waikato office with their 2007 Gamebird Licence number, we will let you take your mate hunting on opening weekend for the $2 cost of the Duck Stamp which is affixed to the licence – which as you will recall is used solely to create, protect and restore wetland habitat.

The offer is strictly limited to those persons (i.e. the mate) who have not purchased a licence before (and we have extensive database records on our computer going back for the last decade which will allow us to check this) – the offer is only opening weekend –recipients of the mate’s licence must be accompanied by a whole season licence holder – the offer only applies to the Auckland/Waikato F&G region – the mate must of course comply with the Game Hunting Regulations.

There has never been a better opportunity to introduce your friend, spouse, son or daughter to gamebird hunting.

AUCKLAND/WAIKATO DUCK FACTORY HOTSPOTS

Auckland/Waikato has produced a 48 page booklet which is the most comprehensive guide to game bird hunting in its area ever published, with clear text and maps, which is free on receipt of a large stamped, self-addressed envelope.

GETTING STARTED IN GAME BIRD HUNTING

This is a clear and comprehensive 24 page booklet that sets out absolutely everything you need to know in order to “get started”, and is free on receipt of a stamped, self- addressed envelope.

MAIMAI CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES

Hunters today are under pressure from people who do not understand the traditions of waterfowl hunting, and thus hunters have an obligation to construct and maintain their maimais in a manner that reflects well on the waterfowl hunter’s image. This simple pamphlet contains construction guidelines for permanent maimais agreed to by Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game, Land Information NZ, Department of Conservation, and Environment Waikato. It is essential reading for all new and existing hunters. As with other Auckland/Waikato information it is available free of charge on receipt of a stamped, self-addressed envelope.