Fine weather, fun with family, and a few birds in the bag for opening weekend

Northland

Northland Manager Craig Deal

Conditions in Northland were fine and clear, with a warm day and a steady easterly breeze. Results were mixed across the region. Hunters who had put in the preparation and located areas where ducks congregate did well, while other areas saw more modest bags. Mallard numbers were low in some parts, with paradise ducks making up the bulk of the harvest in those areas. Rangers spent the morning visiting maimais and out on the water by boat. Most hunters were compliant and enjoying themselves, with one party found to be non-compliant.

Auckland-Waikato

David Klee Auckland-Waikato Chief Executive

Opening day has been positive and happy across the Auckland-Waikato region. Good numbers of hunters have been out on the Hauraki Plains, where Fish & Game teams were ranging throughout the day. Rangers in Waikato found a few instances of people bagging more birds than they were allowed, though hunters have largely been playing by the rules and doing the right thing. Calm and clear skies aren't great for duck hunters but even so there were still plenty of shooting and ducks in flight so it is shaping up to be a great opening weekend.

Eastern

Easter Region Chief Executive Arash Alaeinia

Four ranging teams were out across the Eastern region on a beautiful sunny Opening Day, with some morning fog in places. Hunters were out in good numbers and compliance was 100 percent so far across the board. Ducks were on the lighter side, but that didn't dampen spirits, with everyone out there enjoying the day.

Hawke’s Bay

Operations Manager Lyndon Slater

Two ranging teams were out across the Hawke's Bay region on a clear and sunny Opening Day. Between them they checked a good number of licences, and the vast majority of hunters were fully compliant. A small number of compliance issues were identified and dealt with accordingly. It was great to see families out together, with young kids getting in on the action and everyone making the most of a fine day in the maimai.

Taranaki

Taranaki Region Chief Executive Phil Teal

Hunters on private ponds in the Taranaki region reported a relatively quiet start although there were good numbers of both mallards and paradise shelducks in the area.

Hunters were philosophical about the weather conditions favouring the ducks with one hunter saying “the ‘silver lining’ to the cloudless skies on Opening Day is that there’ll be more ducks around for later in the season”.

Many groups were planning to return in the evening, Opening Day is far from over!

Wellington

Wellington Region Chief Executive Phil Teal

Clear skies and light winds greeted hunters across the lower North Island, conditions that largely favoured the ducks. However, most hunters were still happy to be out in the wetlands and were satisfied with the numbers of birds bagged.

In the Manawatū, hunters reported patchy duck numbers, with some achieving limit bags quickly while others needed to rely on skill and persistence to secure their bag limit.

Hunting activity in the Wairarapa remained steady until mid-morning, with flat calm conditions on large open water bodies providing temporary refuge for ducks.

For Wellington and Taranaki

Fish & Game rangers were out in force, some accompanied by the NZ Police. Most hunters were fully compliant with regulations, and no significant breaches of hunting or firearms regulations were reported.

West Coast

Field Officer Baylee Kersten

West Coast hunters were met by thick fog this morning, with calling playing a key part in encouraging birds into the spread.
The West Coast had three ranger teams out, encountering plenty of keen hunters, some travelling great distances to make the most of the untapped opportunities on the Coast.
The good news for hunters is there are plenty of birds still out there, some camps are only building from this morning’s activity, and with a bit of scouting, some great hunting is to be had.
As usual, the hunters that had done their scouting and went to the birds had hot barrels, while those that stuck to traditional sites at times struggled.
Rangers conducting compliance on private land were pleased to see hunters comply with the requirements to hunt as lawful occupiers, with those in doubt opting to purchase a licence to ensure they were hunting lawfully.

Nelson-Marlborough

Field Officer Jacob Lucas

Two ranging teams were out across the Marlborough and Tasman areas for Opening Day, and it was a positive day all round. Bag numbers were light, though paradise duck numbers were good further inland and there were some strong swan harvests in the coastal parts of Marlborough. A standout result was 100 percent compliance across the board. Hunters were in great spirits and happy to see rangers out on the water. Typical sunny Nelson weather made it a great day to be out.

North Canterbury

Field Officer - Communications Specialist Jackson Meecham

A blanket of low fog covered the region early this morning, providing favourable initial conditions for hunters heading out at first light. As the fog lifted, clear skies and calm, sunny conditions set in, creating more challenging hunting.
Three ranger teams talked to more than 60 enthusiastic hunters. Hunting success varied between parties, with some achieving good results, particularly with paradise shelducks. At Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, rangers also encountered hunters who had successfully harvested some recently banded mallards.
The overwhelming majority of hunters were compliant and appreciative of the opportunity to spend opening morning with family and friends. Firearm handling and water safety were clearly taken seriously, with safe practices observed across the region. Four offences were detected during coverage of the day.
Overall, the opening morning was a positive reflection of the hunting community, with strong participation, good compliance, and a clear focus on safety and shared time outdoors.

CSI

Senior Officer Rhys Adams

Three ranging teams were out across the Waitmate, Timaru and Mackenzie districts, checking 75 hunters in total. It's been a great opening day, with hunters in high spirits and bagging up to 10 birds each. The majority were fully compliant, with a couple of offences identified and dealt with. Calm and pleasant conditions made for ideal socialising weather, which as always is a big part of what opening day is all about.

Otago

Fish and Game Officer Communications Bruce Quirey 

Opening morning started with fog around Lake Waipori and Waihola, limiting access for the first couple of hours, before clearing to a fine, sunny day with a light southerly breeze. Elsewhere across the region, including Wānaka and Wakatipu, hunters enjoyed settled autumn conditions, though birds were often flying high.
Success was mixed, with good numbers of pūtangitangi/paradise shelduck taken across the region, while mallard numbers remained relatively low. At Fish & Game-managed wetlands, hunters harvested a modest but steady bag, and most parties reported enjoying their day despite variable shooting.
Fish & Game officers completed around 50 licence checks by midday across multiple locations, contacting hunters at dozens of ponds and wetlands in private and public land.
Compliance was high across the region, with three offences in an otherwise positive Opening Day, with the vast majority of hunters doing the right thing.
There was strong participation from junior hunters, particularly at Fish & Game-managed sites. Overall, hunters were in good spirits and enjoying time outdoors, even where bird numbers or access conditions were challenging early on.

Southland

Field Officer Cohen Stewart

Southland experienced warm and fine opening day conditions more suited to BBQs than duck hunting. Despite this, there was good success observed across the region, particularly among hunters who had put in solid preparation and incorporated some movement into their decoy spreads.
Southland Fish & Game worked alongside Police and spoke with multiple groups of hunters across the region. Overall compliance with the gamebird hunting regulations was excellent, with only two hunters found without a game bird hunting licence.
As always, it was great to see friends, families, and in some cases multiple generations out hunting together. That is what opening weekend in Southland is all about.