Both Barrels July 2026 - Wellington

Plenty of Hunting Still On Offer

H5N1 has arrived in the Wellington region and hunters are urged to be vigilant when they are out for the rest of the season noting there are still plenty of opportunities to get out for a shot!

Black Swan Extended Season

Licence holders can target black swan through to August 30, with a liberal bag limit of 15 birds per hunter per day!

Black swan are a challenging game bird and while commonly encountered, consistently harvesting swan requires thoughtful tactics, good concealment, and an understanding of their behaviour.

With the right setup and strategy, however, you can dramatically improve your success – and make the most of every bird you take. We’ve developed a toolkit to help you be more successful and increase your harvest – click here [link to: https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/game-bird-hunting-in-new-zealand/hunting-knowledge-hub/what-to-hunt/ ] for more.

Upland Game Birds

There are good pockets of upland game birds throughout the region too.

Quail can be found on farmland and along many of our larger rivers where they inhabit the vegetated margins – look for lupin and blackberry thickets.

We have also negotiated access to a several plantation forests where pheasant can be hunted through a permit system (contact the office [email protected]) as well as along designated sections of the Rangitikei River.

If you have enquiries about where to hunt upland game, please get in touch with us.

Pukeko

These are highly underrated game birds – they have good hearing and eyesight, and can be very challenging to hunt once they wise up.

However, in dim light or high winds they are easier to approach. Another exciting technique is to flush them from raupo swamps using a good dog.

Pukeko eat much better than they’re given credit for – check out our website [link to: https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/game-bird-hunting-in-new-zealand/hunting-knowledge-hub/recipes/ ] for recipes.

IMPORTANT: Bird flu (H5N1) Confirmed In NZ - What Hunters Need To Know

What this means for you

At this stage, no game bird species are affected.

Game bird hunting can continue, but we ask that all hunters carefully follow the biosecurity protocols below. The human health risk from H5N1 remains low.

What You Need to do

Keep your distance:

If you see sick or dead birds, even a single one, keep well away. Make sure your dog and any children do not touch them.

Keep clean:

Scrub and clean all boots and equipment between hunting sites, and use a disinfectant if you can. After each trip, wash any clothing that has been in direct contact with birds. Wash and dry your hands after handling or dressing birds.

Know when to report:

If you find three or more sick or dead wild birds together, call the Biosecurity NZ exotic pest and disease hotline: 0800 80 99 66. Do not handle or move the birds before reporting and being provided guidance.

For the latest information from MPI, visit mpi.govt.nz/HPAI  or our website at fishandgame.org.nz.