Wellington/Taranaki Weekly Hunting Bulletin - 18 June 2026

Saturday Set To Deliver     

Saturday is going to deliver for duck hunters... and hopefully 'Canes fans too!

A strong nor-wester, rising to gale in parts, will spread across both the Wellington and Taranaki Fish & Game regions throughout the day.          

Pictured: Ian Phillips managed a limit bag of Taranaki Ringplain mallards last weekend, along with 14 Canada geese.

This will provide excellent hunting conditions ahead of the crucial Super Rugby match! An exciting Saturday is one the cards. 

A strong nor-westerly mid-week saw some really good hunting around Lake Wairarapa, with plenty of ducks moving until mid-morning when it backed off. 

We've also had reports of good shooting on the Manawatu River - where birds are evidently camped up trying to avoid  hunting pressure - and some good bags have ben taken by hunters on oxy ponds in Taranaki.  

The wind forecast for this Saturday is expected to be stronger than what we've had thus far, so it could provide some of the best hunting this season... See the full weather report below.   

Don't forget we've added a sweetener to our game bird hunting photo competition for this season. 

As well as going into the draw for a $300 voucher from Wairarapa Hunting & Fishing, you could also win a copy of Pete Ryan's amazing new book, Riding The Echo Down.

For details on how to enter, see below. 

Here's the outlook for the weekend... It should be a good shoot on Saturday but you have to be out there and get in on the action. 

 

Strong Nor-Wester To Stir Up Ducks 

The brighter the colour, the more intense the wind. (Credit: Windy.com)

A good strong nor-westerly - approaching gale in some parts - should stir up the ducks and, hopefully, the Chiefs on game day.  

We can see from the Windy.com maps that the weather starts to build on Friday afternoon around the Wellington and Wairarapa coast, which should provide some hunting opportunities after work for those who are keen. 

From Saturday the wind starts to build all day and fill in across the entire lower North Island, peaking at around 4pm. This is perfect for an evening hunt - the birds will have taken a battering all day on the big water and the flights should start early. Be in position mid-afternoon to make the most of it. 

The nor-wester backs off on Sunday but is still forecast to be blustery for some parts of the lower North Island on Sunday morning, providing one more chance for a hunt before calm conditions settle in.           

In terms of rain... expect patchy drizzle on Saturday, with heavy falls for the Kapiti Coast, western Wairarapa and New Plymouth overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning before clearing.

This will bring local rivers up and should result in some standing water being around, so getting some farm access for paddock hunting could be a good option.         

As always, check the latest conditions on Windy.com before making your plan for the weekend.    

 

Tip Of The Week - Keep A Diary

Organised Swan Hunts - Keen To Take Part?

We're currently gauging interest amongst hunters for organised black swan hunts in areas of the Wellington Fish & Game region where landowners are experiencing challenges with nuisance swan aggregations on pasture and crops, particularly around Lake Wairarapa.

From the end of the main waterfowl season (June 28), the bag limit on black swan increases from five birds per person per day, to 15 birds per person per day in this region. 

If there's enough interest, we'll look to facilitate access to properties and hunting locations around a weekend or two in July/August.

Please click here to let us know if you and you're hunting party are keen to participate, and we'll keep you informed of upcoming opportunities.   

 

Photo Comp - Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Scouting around for ducks paid dividends for Henry McIntyre and his hunting buddy Harry Norwood.   

Send in your photos from this game bird hunting season and you could be in to win a $300 voucher to spend in store at Wairarapa Hunting & Fishing.

We're also going to throw in a copy of Pete Ryan's amazing new hunting book - Riding The Echo Down.    

We won't blow your secret spot, just include the name of the hunter(s), photographer's details, and general location in the Wellington or Taranaki Fish & Game region.

Click here to submit your entry.    

You can send us as many hunting photos as you like.

By submitting images to enter the competition you acknowledge that Wellington and Taranaki Fish & Game, and Wairarapa Hunting and Fishing, can publish and use the photos for publicity material.

Entries must be in by 8:30pm, August 30, 2026. The winner will be notified via email.

 

Want Some Help With A Duck Pond Project?

Staff surveying a potential duck pond site with a drone (Photo: Matt Kavermann)

Looking to create a duck pond or improve your existing one? Wellington-Taranaki Fish & Game are happy to help with expert advice and may even be able to secure funding to assist with the project. 

Whether you want to hold ducks on your pond longer, or are aiming to create an entirely new wetland from that unproductive boggy paddock, we have the staff expertise and experience. 

Drop us an email and we'll call to discuss your plans and how we can help.

For Wairarapa - contact Hamish.
For Manawatu/Rangitikei - contact Matt.
For Taranaki - contact Allen. 

 

Shoot Bird, Eat Bird...

Here’s a simple recipe that will have the kids or even the most ardent roast duck hater clamouring for you to keep hunting:

1. Place two mallard ducks in a deep-sided dish on a bed of celery, onion and carrot and roast at 200degC for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Allow to cool; transfer liquid from roasting dish into a large saucepan.
3. Strip all the meat from the ducks, place in saucepan with liquid from roasting.
4. Add beef stock, red wine and a tin of crushed tomatoes to cover well. Season well.
5. Bring to the boil then turn down to simmer; allow to reduce so liquid thickens into nice gravy.
6. Spray coat with oil a muffin tray or pie tins.
7. Cut out flaky puff pastry (store-bought is perfect) to cover base and sides of tray/tin.
8. Fill with duck pie filling.
9. Cover with pastry top; poke three or four holes in top to allow steam to escape.
10. Beat an egg in a cup, add a dash of water then coat the top of the pies with this egg wash.
11. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes in oven as instructed on pastry directions.

Serve with a garnish of coriander and your favourite fruit chutney.       

For other delcious game bird recipes, check out our Hunting Knowledge Hub. 

 

Swan Hunting Tactics

We've got tips and tactics to help hunters harvest more black swan (Photo: Nick King)

Wellington Fish & Game staff have just completed an online resource to help hunters be more successful when targeting black swans.

With an extended season on swan in the region, and liberal bag limits, we're trying to encourage hunters to harvest more of these challenging and under-utilised game birds. 

The resource is part of our Hunting Knowledge Hub and includes a raft of tips and some tasty recipes to make the most of the meat, including guidance on how to age birds and then decide on how best to cook them.

Click here to download a copy. 

 

Keep Those Band Returns Rolling In

Thanks to all those hunters who have sent through their band returns to date. 

If you harvest a banded bird, we encourage you to report it via the Fish & Game website.

In return, you’ll receive a summary of the bird’s history, including the year and approximate location it was banded, its age and sex at the time and how far it travelled between the banding and recovery site (you can keep the band, we just need the information on it).

Every valid band report is automatically entered into the draw for prizes through Fish & Game’s Banding Together initiative.

 

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