West Coast > Hunting News May 07

‘COAST GAMEBIRD HUNTING SEASON OFF TO A GOOD START

The first telephone survey of gamebird hunters this week will tell the full story but early indications are that hunters were generally satisfied with their opening weekend success.

Hunters in the central and southern parts of the Region would have been encouraged to see the drizzle roll in on Friday evening, and a brisk north easterly down the river valleys by mid-morning on Saturday tipped the odds slightly against the ducks.

While good bags were the order of the day in more popular areas where hunting pressure helps to keep birds on the move, less populated parts of the region generally suffered from a lack of hunter effort.

South Westland valleys in particular support large numbers of ducks which, on opening weekend, received little attention.

Fortunately the season still has about eleven weeks to run and there are some excellent prospects for the travelling hunter in the Whataroa and Wanganui valleys in particular. Spot the ducks and ask at the nearest farmhouse. In most cases a reasonable request for access will be granted, or at least an alternative offered.

Post-opening weekend mallards begin to establish a feeding / loafing routine that the observant hunter can now begin to exploit. In dairy farming areas ducks often tend to ‘follow the cows.’ Intensively stocked pasture provides productive feeding habitat for ducks in the form of grubs, worms and seeds from baleage and if grain is being fed as a supplement then all the better. The last half hour of daylight can be dynamic in such places.

Riverbed camps are also worth looking for. Generally these spots will be in open riverbeds at the head or tail of a pool, and judicious use of natural cover is essential for success. Expect to see the first birds arriving just on daylight but often the action lasts throughout the day.

The size and excellent condition of mallards I’ve seen so far suggests that with winter looming the onset of natural mortality might at least be postponed this season. Hunting is all about harvesting the annual surplus and all indications are that this year there will be plenty of potential for those prepared to make the effort.

For many shooters opening weekend is more about the event than the hunting, and true gamebird hunters know the best is yet to come.

Please also remember that the West Coast’s participating restaurant in the wild gamebird festival is Café de Paris in Hokitika. Details on how to score brownie points with your partner – in particular paving the way for future duck hunting excursions - are available at www.fishandgame.org.nz

Chris Tonkin

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