Both Barrels May 2025 - Otago

Make the most of your hunting season

Welcome to the monthly Otago edition of Both Barrels. Whether you’re chasing mallards at dawn with mates, introducing the kids to wild kai, or walking your dog down to the stream, there’s nothing like the camaraderie and connection with nature that comes from hunting outdoors.

This season, we’re bringing highlights — from harvest reports and weather-watch pointers to trends and tips around the region — into a more comprehensive, fortnightly Otago regional hunting report, The Game Call. We want to help you get the most out of your game bird season.

There you’ll also find a photo competition to win a $250 Hunting & Fishing Dunedin prize pack and a recipe competition to win copies of the Fish + Game Cook Book.

You can subscribe to The Game Call here: Newsletter-Sign-up

Opening Weekend

Duck hunting near Ranfurly on Opening Day were (from left) Graeme Clarke, Andy Price, Kim Turfus, Quade, Shane Turfus and Sally Taylor. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Opening Weekend of the duck season in Otago was generally a success, with most hunters across the region reporting varied but satisfactory results.

A couple of duck hunters who spoke to our rangers on Opening Day in the lower Clutha declared it was their best. To get accurate data, we’re now conducting harvest surveys and will file a detailed report soon.

The season’s just started, so make the most of your licence and get out there.

Our rangers saw lots of productive ponds sitting idle.

Why not take a mate, too! Day licences are now available online by selecting here.

Get ready for upland action

Now is the time to be scouting locations and asking landowners about permission for access for upland game bird hunting.

The upland game bird season in Otago starts on the King’s Birthday long weekend. Opening day is Saturday, May 31, 2025.

Most hunting for California quail takes place on private land.

Quail are scattered in generally medium-sized coveys in the drier parts of Central Otago and Southern Lakes districts. They can be found in shrubland on hillsides, scrubby river margins, forestry, orchards, vineyards, and rural gardens. Their favoured habitat includes briar rose, matagouri, bracken, blackberry and gorse.

Be sure your dog is dosed up-to-date with Praziquantel at least 48 hours before you go, to kill tapeworms and protect farmer’s livelihoods from sheep measles.

Publicly available land for quail hunting is limited. DOC’s online permit system offers access to hunt on Public Conservation Land for game birds at:

• Bendigo Scenic Reserve (upland game)
• Blackstone Hill Conservation Area (upland game)
• Diamond Lake and Lake Reid (waterfowl)

For permits to hunt game birds on other Public Conservation Land near you, contact your local DOC office by phone or email.

Dog safety warning - Cluden aerial possum control 

Upland game hunters in the Cluden area in Central Otago, look out for your dogs as there is an upcoming aerial possum control operation.

Ospri advises that contractors will be using 1080 cereal pellets in the area including part of Cluden Station (private land) and the Lauder Basin Conservation Area in the west. The operation is due to take place as soon as practicable from May 26, 2025, onwards dependent on weather.

Do not bring dogs into the area until the warning signs have been officially removed.

For more details, go to this Ospri website link: Cluden bovine TB control operation

Hunter surveys

Thanks to all the hunters who have taken part in our annual Hunter Survey.

Like previous seasons, Fish & Game is surveying hunters to find out satisfaction levels from their overall hunting experience and how many birds were harvested individually. For waterfowl, this includes mallard, shoveler, grey duck, paradise shelduck, black swan, Canada goose, and pukeko.

We’ll want to know:

• what days you hunted,
• how many hours and minutes you hunted,
• the area and region,
• birds shot and retrieved,
• and birds shot and not retrieved.

It’s that easy. If you haven’t had a call from us yet, don’t be surprised if you do over the rest of the season. Thanks in advance for helping!

Compliance

By far, most duck hunters do the right thing, which speaks to the strong sense of responsibility within our hunting community. Otago Fish & Game rangers were pleased with most hunters’ conduct on Opening Weekend.

• Otago rangers checked about 140 hunters on Opening Day.
• Compliance was above 98 per cent.

Unfortunately, two people who chose to go duck hunting without game bird licences were issued offence notices and their firearms were seized.

Fish & Game managed wetlands

Takitakitoa Wetland.

Takitakitoa is one of six Otago Fish & Game-managed wetlands where licence holders can hunt game birds.

The 30ha wetland offers five permanent maimais. Game bird hunting is by permit only.

Maimais and permits are allocated via ballot to novice and junior hunters for the first nine days of the season.

Other hunters may then obtain permits to access the wetland during the rest of the season. Pegging of hunting stands at Takitakitoa is not permitted.

Takitakitoa Wetland is at the end of Takitakitoa Rd, off Otokia-Kuri Bush Rd, about 40 minutes’ drive south of Dunedin.

Vehicle access is via a locked gate. The Fish & Game-owned wetland is bordered by City Forests Ltd forestry.

• To apply for a casual permit, please select here.
• For more details on game bird hunting in Otago, including Fish & Game managed wetlands, select here.

Local regulations

Planning to hunt in another Fish & Game region?

Be sure you understand the local regulations.

Each region has its own set of regulations working in conjunction with the national regulations. These include bag limits and season lengths. You can download regulation booklets for each individual region from the Fish & Game website by selecting here.

The Game Gall newsletter

Want more hunting info? Check out what you might have missed in The Game Call, your fortnightly Otago Regional Hunting Report. Select here!

Or subscribe here.

 

Warm barrels, everyone.

The team at Otago Fish & Game