Taranaki > Hunting News May 2007

OPENING WEEKEND REPORT - TARANAKI

Opening day dawned fine and clear throughout the Taranaki region and while large flights of birds were seen moving early, the shooting slowed in many areas as the morning wore on. While there were some good bags of Paradise shelduck, Mallards were not so easily fooled in the clear conditions and opening day can best be described as “below average” and pretty similar to last year. Hunting conditions were better on Sunday, particularly in the evening, but by then many hunters were on their way home. Some of the large coastal dune lakes shot well and hunters targeting Paradise in maize stubble also took some good bags.

Most hunters obeyed the regulations and were happy to see the rangers, but there were still a small number who were prepared to take a risk by using or possessing 12g lead shot while hunting waterfowl within 200m of open water. On opening weekend, Taranaki rangers detected eight offences relating to the possession or use of lead shot, along with two no licence offences.

While opening weekend was rather slow for many hunters, there is no shortage of Mallards or Paradise shelduck in the region. With the dry conditions over the last three plus months, streams and rivers are holding plenty of Mallards and jump shooting or decoying birds as they return to loafing areas will be well worth the effort. When the winter rains finally come and river levels rise, Mallards will move back into the paddocks and ponds. The large mobs of Paradise that congregated prior to the season on grain-fed ponds and stubble fields have only partially dispersed and hunters should still be able to locate good mobs of birds feeding in undisturbed areas of new grass etc. Some good mobs of Canada geese are also present on the coastal ringplain and in the southern Waimarino.

There are also reasonable numbers of pheasant in areas of suitable habitat and permits are available at a cost of $5 from Taranaki F&G offices for upland game hunting in a number of Wanganui coastal forests, including Lismore, Harakeke, the Justice Block and Nukumaru Recreation Reserve.

Don’t forget that hunters are generally more successful (in terms of birds per hour) after opening weekend, so make the most of your licence by getting out as often as you can during the season.

All the best

Allen Stancliff

Fish and Game Officer

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