Both Barrels May 2026 - Southland

Great start to the season

As is often the case in Southland, opening weekend brought warm, settled weather more suited to BBQs than duck hunting. Despite the fine conditions, there was still some good success across the region, with plenty of smiling faces and positive stories from hunters enjoying time outdoors with friends and family.

While the excitement of opening weekend is now behind us, there are still plenty of opportunities ahead for hunters willing to put in some time over the coming weeks and months.

Image above: A sunrise view from the maimai.

Opening weekend harvest

As many hunters will know, Southland Fish & Game undertakes fortnightly hunter harvest surveys throughout the season to monitor harvest patterns and hunter success. The first survey is completed immediately after opening weekend.

This year, hunters harvested an average of 10.6 mallards each over opening weekend, compared with the long-term Southland average of 12.5 mallards. Approximately 8% of hunters reached their 20-mallard bag limit on Saturday, while just 2% achieved this on Sunday.

The slightly lower opening weekend harvest was in line with expectations. The 2025 spring brood-rearing season was relatively dry, and our summer brood counts indicated lower productivity compared with some previous years.

Despite the lower average bag, overall hunter satisfaction remained high, with approximately three-quarters of hunters reporting they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their opening weekend experience. This highlights that opening weekend is about much more than the final bag count, with many hunters valuing the opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors with their friends, family and dogs.

Lincoln Antonievic with a nice drake he harvested on opening weekend.

Opening weekend compliance

Over opening weekend, Southland Fish & Game staff undertook a joint compliance operation with Southern Police. Fish & Game staff checked compliance with game bird hunting licence requirements and regulations, while Police focused on firearms licence compliance.

Overall, compliance was excellent, with only three hunters found hunting without a game bird hunting licence.

A big thank you to all the hunters we spoke with over the weekend. It is always great to catch up, hear how the hunting is going, and see so many people enjoying the opening weekend tradition.

Senior Fish & Game Officer Joshua Tabak checks the game bird hunting licences of two keen hunters on opening weekend.

Constable Crawford (Southern Police) with happy and compliant hunters on opening weekend. 

Utilising the Hunting Knowledge Hub

If you haven’t yet explored the new Hunting Knowledge Hub on the Fish & Game website, it’s well worth a look, particularly for those new to game bird hunting.

The resource covers a wide range of topics, including where and when to hunt, the basics of shooting, duck calling, processing harvested game, and much more. It has been designed to support both new and experienced hunters in building their knowledge and confidence.

Whether this is your first game bird hunting season or you are looking to refine your approach, the Hunting Knowledge Hub is a great place to learn and continue developing your skills.

Check out the hunting knowledge hub here: https://www.fishandgame.org.nz/game-bird-hunting-in-new-zealand/hunting-knowledge-hub/

The Hunting Knowledge Hub is a great resource