West Coast > Hunting News April 2008

Record Duck Numbers On The ‘Coast
Dean Kelly – Fish & Game Officer

Load up on ammo and start getting that dog fit, Fish & Game’s pre season duck counts indicate we are in for a good season.

Paradise Shelducks and Pukeko are counted early in the new year with mallards also noted during the Pukeko counts. In response to the increase in birds observed a special season was notified in March to maximize hunting opportunities. Canada Geese were counted late last year and are also present in the major river valleys in healthy numbers.

Hunter’s perceptions of poorer hunting compared to the past would appear unfounded in the West Coast region. In actual fact it is the complete opposite! Comparisons of results over the 15 year period the game harvest survey has been conducted show the average hunter has bagged progressively more ducks on opening weekend for comparatively less effort. There has been a steady increase in hunter success from around seven ducks for opening weekend in 1992 to an average of closer to nine ducks for 2007. This, despite hunters averaging only six hours hunting for the weekend compared to eight hours 15 years ago!

It is clearly evident that changes in land use and intensification of pastoral farming are increasing the numbers of gamebirds. In the bigger river valleys where gorse islands and scrubby terraces used to predominate there are now readily fertilized paddocks of highly palatable grass and clover. This has resulted in large duck ‘camps’ on falls in rivers adjacent to developed farmland, particularly where farmers are feeding out supplementary feed such as grain and maize. These areas are especially productive later in the season towards the shortest day.

To promote the opportunities the mid to late season affords Fish & Game is running a ‘Take a Mate Hunting’ promotion where any licenced hunter can take out a previously unlicenced hunter after opening weekend for free. After you take them out hunting you can show them what a properly cooked duck can taste like at Café de Paris in Hokitika. Café de Paris is once again participating in Fish & Game’s ‘Gamebird Food Festival’ and will take your plucked and gutted birds throughout the season and turn them into their exquisite Duck  a la’orange with a healthy discount on the price of your meal.

With these initiatives by Fish & Game and for those hunters that are prepared to do the leg work and have an array of skills to hunt gamebirds in differing environments such as riverbeds and farm creeks/drains the 2008 season is shaping up to be an exciting one.

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