Both Barrels May 2025 - Southland

A great start to the season down south

Many hunters will agree, opening weekend is one of the most exciting times of the year and this year, the 2025 game bird hunting season got off to a great start.

Over the opening weekend, Fish & Game staff were out and about catching up with hunters across the region and it was great to see so many people enjoying time with friends and family and harvesting a few tasty birds too.

Image above: Father and daughter team, Hamish and Isla Angus hunting together over opening weekend.

By visiting a wide range of hunting spots, we get a good sense of how the weekend unfolds and as usual, stories from the maimai were varied. Some hunters described it as their best opening in years, while others didn’t see as many ducks as they had hoped. Interestingly, that variation was reflected in the results of our opening weekend hunter harvest survey.

Each year after opening weekend, we call a sample of hunters to ask about their opening weekend experience e.g., how many hours they hunted, what species they targeted, and how many birds they harvested. If you’ve taken part in one of these hunter harvest surveys, thank you, this information is important for managing Southland’s game bird populations.

From those calls, we saw that areas like Balfour, Riversdale, Rimu, Woodlands, and Thornbury had some of the higher harvests in the region. Meanwhile, harvests in other traditional hotspots like Lumsden, Dipton, Winton, and Drummond looked to be down compared to previous seasons.

Our survey revealed that on average hunters harvested 13.7 mallards over the weekend - slightly above the long-term average of 12.6. About 7% of hunters reached their bag limit on Saturday, with only 4% doing so on Sunday.

Chats with hunters after opening weekend, as well as feedback from additional harvest surveys, show there are still good numbers of mallards around. So, if you haven’t already, it’s well worth planning your next hunt.

Beginner hunter Nicola Mullings had a great opening weekend hunting near Branxholm.  

Making the most of the season: the rewards that come with hunting beyond opening weekend

In Southland, there's no denying the excitement of opening weekend. Maimais are prepped, decoys are dusted off, camo is pulled from the wardrobe, and hunters gather in anticipation of the first shots of the season. But with two and a half months of season still ahead, some hunters don’t make time to head out hunting after opening weekend and therefore miss out on some great hunting opportunities.

Hunting beyond opening weekend has plenty of benefits, not just because you get to harvest some more ducks, but because you also get the opportunity to develop your hunting skills, work with your dog and boost your wellbeing. Here are some reasons to make time to get out hunting throughout the season:

1. Spending quality time with friends and family is good for us
   Spending more time in the maimai with friends and family is a great way to strengthen social connections, which is an important part of our overall wellbeing. During the quiet spells between incoming ducks, there’s often plenty of chat and laughter over a shared thermos of coffee. These are the moments that create memories and give our mood a real boost.
   
   
2. Dogs don’t care about the calendar
   Your dog doesn’t care if it’s opening day or mid-June, they're just happy to be out doing what they love. Hunting through the season gives you the opportunity to strengthen your bond with your dog, sharpen their skills, and give them the work they crave.
   Paige Grieve working with her dog Katniss.
   
   
3. Fatter birds
   As the season progresses, mallards are feeding hard and putting on condition. Later-season birds are often fatter and tastier - a real reward for those willing to brave the cold Southland mornings.
   
   
4. Skill improvement
   Hunting during the season provides a great opportunity to refine your calling and decoy placement and try out different hunting approaches. It's also a great time for those who might feel a bit unsure about their calling to get valuable in-field practice without the pressure of a busy opening weekend.
   
   
5. Try a solo hunt
   Hunting through the season provides opportunities for solo missions. There can be real satisfaction in scouting a spot, setting up on your own, and pulling off a successful hunt. It builds confidence, sharpens your instincts and provides you with knowledge you can build on.
   
   
6. Making the most of your licence
   You’ve already bought your licence so why not make the most of it? Every extra hunt through the season gets you more value out of that investment.

As you can see, there is more to the season than just opening weekend. So, grab your gear, phone a mate, fetch the dog from the kennel and make the most of season and the fantastic game bird resources we have in Southland.

The fast roast duck

The traditional way to cook duck is low and slow, often in an oven bag. However, this is not the only approach. The staff in the Southland Fish & Game office have all been converted to cooking our roast duck using the high and fast method. We find this results in a duck with a better quality finish on the skin and a duck that is not overcooked. Here is how it is done:

Ingredients:

1 whole plucked duck
Salt and pepper
Optional: garlic, rosemary, orange slices, or other herbs for the cavity

Instructions:

1. Prep the duck by patting the duck dry with paper towels.
2. Season generously with salt and pepper inside and out. Add herbs to the cavity if desired.
3. Preheat the oven to 250°C. You want that oven hot!
4. Place the duck breast-side up in a roasting pan.
5. Roast for about 22 minutes, depending on size. Smaller mallards you could go a couple of minutes less while a large drake could require a couple of minutes more.
6. After the desired cooking time, remove from the oven and let rest for 4-5 minutes before carving. This keeps the juices in the meat. The meat should be just cooked – about a medium, with some pinkness remaining in the breast.

The fast roast method results in a duck that is not over cooked and has a nice finish on the skin.