Both Barrels June 2026 - North Canterbury

We’re now one month into the 2026 gamebird hunting season and its been a rather unusual start with a lot of settled weather and dry conditions which has changed the behaviours of some of our gamebird species and made hunting rather challenging however for the hunters that have done their preparation prior have had great success in the region.

We have also had our first pheasant weekend over the Kings birthday weekend and from the reports we’ve received from hunters has been relatively good with seeing plenty of birds throughout the region including a lot of hen pheasants which is great to hear for our future pheasant populations.

Remember thee are still two dedicated pheasant hunting weekends remaining:

4-5 July and 1-2 August.

Final Word

With plenty of season left to go, there’s still time to make the most of the outstanding conditions across North Canterbury. Whether you’re chasing mallards on flooded paddocks or working thick cover for upland game, the opportunities are out there—just remember to scout, shoot safe, and respect your fellow hunters.