Both Barrels June 2026 - Eastern

Eastern Fish and Game have been banding mallard and grey duck since 1997.  Banding provides a huge amount of information, including estimates of annual population size, the effects of regulations on annual survival, and band recovery data gives us an insight as to movements (Figure 1 – sorry this is a bit cluttered as it shows all recoveries to date and the map is small). 

There are some interesting recovery observations, for example, a lot of the birds banded in Kaituna Wildlife Management Reserve near Te Puke are recovered in the Waikato and a number of them head right up to Northland (Figure 2).   In fact, most of the birds that head up to Northland are banded in the Bay of Plenty while most of the birds that head right down south were banded on the East Coast/ Hawke’s Bay (e.g., Te Roto kare in the hawk’s Bay Figure 3 and Manutuke, Gisborne, Figure 4).

If you have any bands please give us a call 0800-434-742 or report it on the website https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/game-bird-hunting-in-new-zealand/hunting-in-action/banding-together/send-in-your-duck-band-details/

The paradise shelduck season is coming to a close (28^th of June for most of the Region except North of Tolaga Bay which is open until the 12^th of July).  The black swan and pukeko seasons also remain open (check your regulation guide as A2 closes on the 28^th of June as well).  Hunters are reporting a lot of pheasants are out there and are having some exciting hunts.

Figure 1.  The green lines show a direct line between the band site (Eastern and Hawkes’ Bay Regions) and the reported band recovery location.  Unfortunately the large number of recoveries and the small map make it look like a poor attempt to colour the map in.

Figure 2.  The green lines show a direct line between the band site (Kaituna Wildlife Management Reserve) and the reported recovery location, i.e., where they were shot, hit by a car, found dead etc.).

Figure 3.  Mallard and grey duck banded at Te Roto Kare in the Hawke’s Bay and a direct line to the reported recovery location.

Figure 4.  Mallard and grey duck banded at Grandiek’s near Manutuke, Gisborne and a direct line to the reported recovery location.