Taranaki > Hunting Access

Taranaki Area

While there are few public hunting areas in the Taranaki region, there are plenty of places to hunt waterfowl on private land - it's simply a matter of asking landowners for access. Once a hunter establishes a record of responsible behaviour, there is usually no problem obtaining permission to hunt in subsequent seasons.

Waimarino/Ruapehu

This great gamebird area has a large number of farm ponds, which, in conjunction with grassland and cropping areas, provide good shooting for Paradise shelduck and Mallard duck. There is also a population of Canada geese residing in the Raetihi - Karioi area.

For Paradise shelduck, the 2003 main season length and daily bag limit have been reduced in response to a decline in January moult counts over the last two years, though pastoral farmers and vegetable growers will still welcome a harvest of paradise from areas of new grass and crops. Like the rest of the region, there is now an 8-week main season for Paradise shelduck in the Waimarino and a 10-bird daily limit. An early March special season has been held in the Waimarino each year since 1989 to disperse Paradise after the moult, but with the decline in population numbers, this is no longer a certainty. Please check with the Wanganui office of Fish and Game NZ in early February for details.

Wanganui

Balloted stands are available at the Whanganui River mouth (Corliss Island) and at Lake Kohata near Wanganui. Interested licence holders should contact the Wanganui office in February.

A special season for Paradise shelduck is usually held in the Wanganui area in early March to disperse birds after the moult. Please contact the Wanganui office in early February for details. To participate in the special season, hunters must hold a game licence and obtain a permit. A $5 administration fee applies to all hunters, except those occupiers who hunt on the land they occupy.

Taranaki province

This area contains more than 1,500 lakes, ponds and wetlands - the majority on private land. Fewer landowners are hunting these days and licence holders who are prepared to visit farmers to ask for access should have no difficulty in obtaining a place to hunt.

Well-distributed spring rainfall and a good breeding season have ensured Mallard populations have had a productive year, while Paradise shelduck are also in good heart in both coastal and hill country areas.

A Canada Goose population of 500 birds is centred on the lakes and wetlands around New Plymouth. While several reserves frequented by the geese are closed to hunting, birds can be targeted when they feed on adjacent farmland. The geese have also been visiting the coastal area between New Plymouth and Hawera more frequently in recent times. Season conditions are liberal for Canada geese, with a 10-bird daily bag limit and a 15-week season through to 17 August 2003. Organised hunts, in which geese are flushed off New Plymouth reserve areas, will be held on three Sunday mornings in July (1) and August (2).

A special season for Paradise shelduck has been held in the Taranaki provincial area in recent years. Please contact the Wanganui or New Plymouth offices of Fish and Game NZ in early February for details. To participate in the special season hunters must hold a game licence and obtain a permit. A $5 administration fee applies to all hunters, except those occupiers who hunt on the land they occupy.

UPLAND GAME

Scattered populations of Pheasant and California Quail are present in the coastal sand country, in pine plantations and in areas of bush and scrub, such as those adjacent to streams and rivers. Many of these areas are on private farmland and the appropriate permission should be sought. Favourable breeding conditions since 1998 have meant that areas of good habitat are currently holding reasonable numbers of pheasant.

Permits are available from Taranaki Region offices for upland game hunting in a number of Wanganui coastal forests, including Lismore, Harakeke, the Justice Block and Nukumaru Recreation Reserve.