Otago The Game Call - 7 May 2026

Paradise shelduck (pūtangitangi) featured heavily in many Otago hunters’ bags on opening weekend.

Mallards were flying high in bright, calm skies — challenging conditions for hunters trying to call them in.

Overall, hunters were positive and good spirits, with mixed but mostly satisfactory results, according to rangers’ observations and anecdotal reports from hunters. Some hunters achieved their bag limits before lunch.

We’ll know more once our hunter harvest surveys are completed (read on below). 

‘Shot of the Season’ — Otago Game Bird Photo Competition

Our favourite pick from Round 1 of the “Shot of the Season” Otago game bird photo competition: this photo by Michael Mason of his eldest daughter Ellie, 7, and their 7-year-old black Lab, Zoey, taken at Ashley Downs near Clinton on Sunday.

Show us your best photo shots from your Otago game bird hunts!

We're celebrating the photographers among our hunters with the "Shot of the Season" photo competition.

Each fortnight, we'll select a favourite photo that captures the essence of game bird hunting in this region. Every featured photographer will go into the running for a duck hunter's prize pack thanks to Dunedin Hunting & Fishing NZ at the end of the season.

Submit your entries:

• Email: [email protected]
• Subject line: Photo competition
• A brief caption describing the photo including names (from left) of any people or pawed hunting buddies.

Fortnightly favourites featured each edition of The Game Call during the season.

Rules:

1. Photos must be taken during the 2026 game bird hunting season in the Otago Fish & Game region
2. All entries must include the hunter's name, contact details, and date/location of the photo
3. Photos must showcase ethical hunting practices (proper bag limits, respecting the resource etc.)
4. Submissions accepted via email or drop us your photo and details on the Otago Fish & Game Facebook page
5. Fortnightly winners will be featured on our website and social media
6. All fortnightly winners automatically enter the grand prize draw
7. Staff and immediate family of Otago Fish & Game are ineligible
8. By entering, you agree your photos may be used for future Otago Fish & Game promotional material

Around the region — Opening shots

Mason Parish (11) successfully called in his first ducks next to his dad Thomas at the Fish & Game-managed Takitakitoa wetland in the lower Taieri. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Taieri

While the weather didn't quite deliver the strong wind duck hunters want for Opening Weekend, hunters on the Taieri still enjoyed some solid action.

Dan Kunac reported in with a classic mixed bag. Hunting in a party of four on Saturday, Dan’s group bagged a limit of parries alongside an equal number of mallards.

"Usually we’d be pushing our limit on mallards," Dan says. "But they were a bit cagey this year. The calm weather didn't do us many favours. There were plenty of mallards around, but without a decent breeze to keep them moving, they just weren’t decoying the way they normally would. They were flying a mile high."

Parry numbers on the Taieri seemed higher than usual, Dan said.

"Overall, bird numbers feel on par with last season. Last year we just had that strong wind to get them working. Considering the calm conditions, most hunters on the Taieri seemed to do reasonably well."

Lake Waihola and Lake Waipori

Colin Weatherall — Otago Fish & Game Councillor, duck hunter and honorary ranger —kips in the sun as Meg the Lab keeps watch at Lake Waipori on Opening Day. Photo: Scott Weatherall

Early fog disrupted access at Lakes Waipori and Waihola before lifting to a bright, calm day and mallards were flying high.

Fewer hunters were observed there than normal, says Fish & Game honorary ranger Colin Weatherall, who hunts Waipori with multiple generations of the family.

“Suncream was in demand,” he says.

The Weatherall group finished Opening Weekend with 20 ducks. Colin’s son Scott says while the final bag wasn’t amazing, it was enough to motivate the younger hunters and keep them engaged.

Maniototo

The Maniototo provided good bags of parries over Opening Weekend, even if the calm, clear conditions made the mallards hard to get.

Gus McSkimming headed out near Ranfurly with a group of nine — a mix of experienced shooters and young cousins getting started. Together, they secured a highly respectable tally of 115 birds for the weekend. The bag was heavily dominated by paradise shelduck, with 90 parries, 15 mallards, and one shoveler drake.

"We set up on a moult site pond, and the parries just kept coming in steady mobs of four and five," Gus said. " Not many mallards were flying during the day under those clear, calm skies, and they only really turned up right before dark."

Gus headed to the Taieri on Sunday night, where his group bagged another 10 mallards.

"The Taieri birds were incredibly cagey and took a lot of convincing to decoy," Gus said. "A soft feeding call was the best way to get them to decoy in."

Lower Clutha

Having a great day near Balclutha were (from left) Andre Reihana, Redginald Reihana, Duane Pinny, Jeremy Comer and Daniel Comer. All were approaching their bag limits for parries and had about 35 mallards between them by about 10am. Photo: Jayde Couper.

The lower Clutha River/Mata-Au area saw a successful opener, according to Jack Pow.

Hunters were in the thick of the action early on. Jack and a mate set up on the lower river at an isolated spot which hadn't been shot for a number of years — and it paid off.

Despite a clear morning, the pair bagged their limit of mallards and shoveler drakes by 11am.

"The birds were flying high," Jack said. "They decoyed, but it took a lot of calling to get them to commit and come down. With only a light breeze, the ducks could come in from any direction."

With a bit more wind on Sunday, the pair added another 30 mallards to their tally.

"By the sounds of things, it was a good opening. While we didn't see record-breaking tallies, other groups were coming home with bags of 60 to 70 mallards."

Enjoying opening day in South Otago are (from left) Lee Holst, Blake Marshall, Chris Hayes, Mitchell Dodd, Aaron Lupton and Keegan Jones with dogs Mouse (black) and Moose (GSP). Photo: Ross Taylor.

Rangers found low numbers of ducks shot — and mostly parries — on a clear day in South Otago bordering the Catlins district. Interestingly, only 20 per cent of the ponds that rangers checked around Owaka Valley and Slopedown were hunted.

Thanks to Barney Topping for giving our rangers a lift in the bike up a steep, long hill in South Otago. Photo: Ross Taylor.

Wānaka

Jonny Fitchew (left) chats with rangers Fraser Hocks and Jamie Ward near Wānaka on opening day. Photo supplied.

Opening conditions were fine and warm around Wānaka. The best shooting seemed to be paradise shelducks, which were moving about. Rangers said mallards mostly seemed to be on quiet, unhunted ponds.

Wakatipu

It would have been a nice day for an outdoor wedding around Arrowtown and the base of the Crown Range. Lots of hunters checked by rangers in the area were harvesting parries with the odd mallard thrown in.

Tactics ahead

Travis Stewart and son Braithan (12) scan the sky over at Otago Fish & Game's Takitakitoa Wetland. Photo: Bruce Quirey.

Harvest surveys

Michael Dick and Deagan (aged 10) with parries taken at Takitakitoa Wetland. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Brendon’s first hunt a success

Brendon Storer (left) and his brother Mark at our new accessible maimai at Inch Clutha Wildlife Management Reserve. Photo: Bruce Quirey.

Brendon Storer (left) and his brother Mark had a successful opening day at Fish & Game’s new accessible maimai at Inch Clutha Wildlife Management Reserve.

The practical and safe design of the new maimai opens new opportunities for people with impaired mobility.

“That’s my first time ever shooting and duck hunting,” Brendon said. “It was actually good.”

The brothers bagged six mallards for the day.

“We’re going to have another look this Saturday,” Brendon said.

Access to the reserve is by Fish & Game permit only. Permits will be available to other licence holders from May 11 and preference will be given to hunters with mobility challenges.

This project was a true collaboration between Otago Fish & Game, disability advocates, contractors and supporters. Special thanks to everyone involved, including W Hamilton Building Ltd, Carters, Freeman Roofing Dunedin, Livingwell Disability Resource Centre, SouthRoads, Mike Hurring Logging and Contracting, Niagara, Otago Regional Council.

For permit enquiries, contact [email protected].

Select here to read more on the Fish & Game website.

Hunters following the rules

Honorary ranger Mike Teasdale chats with a group of hunters in South Otago. Photo: Ross Taylor.

A big thanks to hunters for playing your part in a successful start to the season.

Otago Fish & Game rangers were out across the region — from the Taieri, South Otago and Catlins, to Wakatipu and Wānaka, on opening weekend, contacting hunters at dozens of ponds and wetlands to carry out licence checks and have a yarn.

Our rangers are a combination of Fish & Game staff and honorary rangers.

We’re pleased to say compliance was high, at 97%, with only a small number of isolated offences detected. It was encouraging to see the vast majority of hunters doing the right thing.

Overall, the operation went smoothly, with limited offences. Across Otago, more than 100 hunters were checked, with four offences identified from three hunters. One hunter was found hunting without a licence and was also using lead shot. Another had taken a pūkeko, and one had shot a grey teal.

Hunting Knowledge Hub

New to game bird hunting or after handy tips and info? We've got you covered. Everything you need for game bird hunting, all in one place.

New Zealand has a great range of game birds to hunt, split broadly into two groups: waterfowl and upland game. Each species has its own habitat, habits, and hunting experience. Knowing what you're looking at before the season opens makes a big difference.

Fish & Game’s What to Hunt section covers all the key species, from mallard and paradise shelduck to shoveler and black swan.

Head to fishandgame.org.nz to explore the Hunting Knowledge Hub.

Fish & Game managed wetlands

Callum Botting and his son Luke (aged 5) had shot 11 ducks by lunchtime at Waitapeka. Photo: Bruce Quirey

Otago Fish & Game region has six managed wetlands where licence holders can hunt game birds: Takitakitoa, Inch Clutha, Toko Reserve, Otokia, Waitapeka, and Paerau.

• Hunting locations have been balloted to junior and novice hunters for the first nine days of the 2026 season. This allows a fair period of uninterrupted hunting for ballot holders.
• Casual permits will be available from May 11, 2026.
• 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

Be sure you know the local game bird hunting regulations.

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

Grab your hunting licence online and let the adventures begin

Got any Otago Game Bird Hunting News?

Send your hunting news and photos (with hunters’ names) to [email protected] for consideration in the Regional Hunting Report.