West Coast > Hunting News April 2008

Pre-season duck shooters event

Attending gamebird hunters had an excellent opportunity to brush up on their shooting skills at Coal Creek last weekend when Fish & Game and the Greymouth Gun Club hosted a pre-season duck shooters event in summer like conditions.

attentive hunters receiving goose hunting advice from Graham Hughes

The gun club event involved a leisurely stroll around a very well designed course where a total of 60 clay targets were presented in such a way as to replicate gamebird hunting in natural field conditions.  Experienced trap shooters, being accustomed to  more predictable targets, found the playing field well and truly levelled on the day when non-club members were equally as likely to score well.

Prior to the club programme Fish & Game staff ran an event where competitors were limited to using cartridges loaded with steel shot to hit a target simulating a duck landing in a pond amongst decoys. With steel shot now mandatory for hunting gamebirds near open water the objective was to enable participants to get a feel for its effectiveness at varying distances.  During the lunch break Graham Hughes, a Field Officer from Central South Island Fish & Game provided some valuable advice for intending Canada goose hunters, including tips on the use of decoys, camouflage techniques, effective calling and the best times to hunt.

Fish & Game Manager Chris Tonkin said that such advice is timely because there will be some very good goose hunting opportunities for local hunters in the season commencing 3rd May.

Perhaps the best summary of the day came from list National M.P. Chris Auchinvole who commented to the effect that after a week of power house politics in Wellington it was an “absolute pleasure to spend a day of camaraderie amongst laid back people with a common interest in hunting and shooting.” Mr Tonkin said that while the MP’s shooting ability has some way to go, in the current political climate where hunting and firearms are frowned upon in certain circles, it was refreshing to hear that at least one national politician recognises the social value of traditional kiwi outdoor pursuits such as hunting.

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