Both Barrels June 2022

NEW EVES VALLEY WETLAND

Fish & Game’s Lawson Davey successfully saw through the completion of the Eves Valley wetland.

This project is a collaboration with Tasman Pine Forests Ltd, Depart of Conservation trainee rangers and local schools, funded through Tasman District Council’s Pigeon Valley Fire recovery funding, plus some MFE freshwater enhancement funding Council is administering.

The plan from here is that trainee rangers will plant the site with natives, and Fish & Game will endeavour to maintain the site free of woody weeds.

Ultimately, we hope the site will also become locally attractive to waterfowl, meaning we can manage it as a Tasman balloted hunting site at some point in future.

Above Right: Eves Valley wetland construction has been completed – now the planting begins.

OFO QUAIL BLOCKS – GET IN FOR JULY

The new OneFortyOne Forests quail hunting arrangement has been popular, with most available spots allocated for the first two weekends over May and June.

Basically, hunters who apply for and receive a permit from Fish & Game, have driving access to vast areas of forest estate in Golden Downs and the North Bank of the Wairau River (general access forests).

Hunters so far have been picking up quail around road edges and skid sites, wherever there is a bit of sun, a bit of water, and not too much road traffic.

The recent weekend saw over 40 hunters head into various forests, with a few of the groups getting onto some birds.

If this sounds like you, email Jacob Lucas to get on the next hunting weekends (16-17 July & 13-14 August).

TRANSPORTATION OF FIREARMS – A REMINDER

As of 1 February 2022, if a firearms licence holder is transporting firearms or ammunition in a vehicle on a road or public access way*, you need to know the following:

• Firearms must be concealed from view from outside the vehicle.
• Firearms must not be loaded with ammunition in the breech, barrel, chamber or magazine.
• Of note to users of semi-automatic shotguns. The firearms must be made inoperable by removing the bolt or another vital part, and because that is not possible for a semi-automatic, the firearm must be fitted with a trigger lock or travel in a locked case or carry bag.
• Ammunition must also be hidden from view, stored separately from the firearm, and in a locked glove box or similar area where this is practicable. (The "practicable" inclusion was as a result of Fish & Game advocating around the shotgun ammunition, which is bulky, it must still be stored separately)
• There is also a clear definition around leaving a firearm in an unattended vehicle and what that means.
• There are specific rules now for the carriage of firearms on an inter-island ferry.

*The above does not apply to vehicles used on a farm during farm-related duties, or while undertaking legally authorised hunting or wild animal or pest control activities – when the licence holder is inthe vehicle with the firearms or in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle in which the firearms are stored.

Full details are available off the Police website here.

Hot Barrels

Jacob Lucas, Nelson Marlborough Fish & Game