Wellington/Taranaki Weekly Hunting Bulletin - 4 June 2026

More Rain And Shifty Winds Over Weekend     

Another northerly weather system is rolling in tomorrow, bringing strong winds and heavy rain for some parts again. 

This, combined with a southerly shift, should hopefully get some ducks moving for hunters.     

Pictured: Young Willow very happy in her work, with a proud retrieve.  

Taranaki has had enough rain over the last 36 hours (10–50mm) to produce a minor pulse of flow in the rivers, freshen up wetlands and move ducks around, but not enough to put much standing water in paddocks.

Wairarapa and Manawatu remain very dry for this time of year though - just 9mm has fallen on the Manawatu Plain so far this season - which should explain why hunters in these parts are seeing few birds moving!  

Persistence pays off - a reasonable bag in Wairarapa despite the dry, calm conditions.  

However, with further rain expected on Friday and Saturday and a return to west/southwest winds it’s looking relatively better for duck hunting this coming weekend.

Despite the unconducive waterfowl hunting weather so far this season, those hunters we've surveyed who have remained active have had reasonable success - many report mixed species bags and few blank trips. 

So, it’s worth getting out there to bag some free-range food for the table when conditions present, and early this weekend looks good.

 

Take A Mate Hunting - Cheap Day Licences Available 

Want to take a mate or introduce someone to game bird hunting? Maybe you missed the start of the season?

Great news! Day licences are on sale now... Small outlay for the same awesome outdoor experience! 

Grab a licence now. 

Here's the outlook for the weekend... 

 

Strong Northerly Makes Way To Southerly Shift

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

Friday morning sees a strong northerly to nor-west wind build over the lower North Island, with particularly blustery conditions for coastal and inland Taranaki, Waimarino and northern Manawatu.

Heavy rain accompanies the front as it moves in - Taranaki ring-plain, Kapiti Coast and south Wairarapa will see the heaviest falls through to early Saturday morning.   

The wind eases off towards midnight Friday but should still allow for some good evening hunting after work.  

From Saturday the wind shifts around through the westerly quarter, with gusty conditions early morning for central Manawatu and about the eastern Wairarapa coast.

Patchy rain is forecast across both regions.  

Mid afternoon Saturday the wind comes in from the south, so the big swing could result in some birds being displaced during the day, particularly for south Wairarapa where it will be strongest. 

The southerly is forecast to persist until around midday Sunday, so there should be an early morning hunt on the cards too. 

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

 

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

Jack (6) out for a morning hunt with Dad at the river (Photo: James McLean)

Send in your favourite 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 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.

 

Tip Of The Week - Black Swan Tactics

Black swan are a striking and challenging game bird found throughout New Zealand, particularly on lakes, estuaries, and slow-moving rivers.

While commonly encountered, consistently harvesting swan requires thoughtful tactics, good concealment, and an understanding of their behaviour.

With the right setup and strategy, however, you can dramatically improve your success – and make the most
of every bird you take.

As part of our Game Bird Hunting Knowledge Hub, we've created a dedicated resource to help hunters be successful when targeting black swan. 

Click here to download a copy.   

 

Want Some Help With A Duck Pond Project?

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. 

 

Where Did The Ducks Go?

Finding out-of-the-way locations where ducks are holed up will dramatically increase success (Photo: Hamish Carnachan) 

Our mallard duck surveys a couple of weeks before the season started showed good numbers across the lower North Island - actually a reasonable increase in the population on the previous season. 

Yet hunters have found it tough going so far in 2026. There are many variables that could be at play, including very dry conditions over May...   

While social media circles are rampant with reasons for the slow season, research out of the US indicates that - contrary to much of the rhetoric - mallards are simply getting increasingly hunt-smart. 

What the wildlife experts suggest is that hunters need to therefore hunt smarter to increase their success.

Read how your can improve your odds as the season goes on here.  

 

Attention Pukepuke Hunters!

Pukepuke Lagoon in Manawatu has dried out... we're trying to establish why

Wellington Fish & Game is looking into the historical environmental cycles of Pukepuke Lagoon, near Tangimoana in Manawatu, specifically tracking past low water levels or dry spells.

Because local hunters know these waters better than anyone, we are hoping you might have some records tucked away in old photo albums or scrapbooks.

How you can help:

• Photos: Any snapshots showing low water levels or exposed lagoon beds.
• Context: The approximate year, decade, or season the photo was taken.

Whether it’s a vintage print or a more recent digital snap, we’d love to see it. If you only have a hard copy, bring it to the office and we can scan and safely return it to you.

If you can help, please get in touch with us at the office [email protected]

Thanks for your time and for helping us preserve the history of the lagoon.

 

Game Bird Harvest Survey

Fish & Game staff from around New Zealand will again be conducting our annual Game Bird Hunter Harvest Survey.

You may receive a phone call from us seeking to ask a few questions about how many birds you have harvested this season. 

These calls are an important part of our game bird population management, as they give us an estimate of how many birds have been harvested across the country. 

We'd really appreciate your help if you do get a call. 

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.

 

Follow Us On Facebook

Wellington and Taranaki Fish & Game are on Facebook!

To keep up with all the happenings, news and latest information throughout the upcoming game season, be sure to follow us.    

 

Shoot Bird, Eat Bird!

So you bagged some birds... now to make the most of them so you don't waste that delicious free-range game meat!

For a bunch of recipes, click the image above.