Wellington/Taranaki weekly hunting report 5 June 2025

Weather Gods Keep Smiling!  

It's been one exceptional season for waterfowl hunting as far as the weather goes - the Gods seem to keep smiling on hunters.

Last weekend provided awesome hunting for those who braved the elements. 

Proud Dad, Ben Carston, sent in this great photo of his son Jett - first time duck hunting.

The strong nor-wester, which lasted most of King's Birthday, really turned it on for hunters in Wairarapa and Manawatu with the fringes of the big water shooting particularly well as birds were moved off by the battering wind.

Into Taranaki, strong winds on Friday and Saturday and incessant rain and drizzle into Sunday evening really kept ducks moving around with plenty of birds seen out feeding on flooded pasture.      

And the weather systems just keep piling in, right in time for the weekend, with another one lining us up for this Saturday.  

The forecast gale southerly winds, along with the low cloud and rain, will work in your favour this weekend, encouraging birds to fly lower and within range. 

Ash with a good retrieve on what turned out to be an incredibly fat drake last weekend - the condition of the birds this season has been exceptional (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

At this stage in the season, it may also be worth checking your maimai or hide for gaps in vegetation or fading cover.

With vegetation dying back and the colour of surrounding plants shifting in the cooling weather, hides that were camouflaged on Opening Weekend can quickly become obvious to airborne birds – particularly those that have had some “education” from hunters throughout the season.

In addition to a maimai revamp, giving some TLC to your decoys by cleaning them up, adding touch-up paint if need be, and changing spread layouts is always beneficial, enhancing visibility and increasing appeal to passing birds.

Best Weekend Of The Season 

This weather could produce some of the best hunting of the season to date so make sure you get your licence if you're heading out for the first time, or taking a mate who hasn't been hunting! 

Please ensure you are also familiar with the game bird hunting regulations for Wellington and Taranaki.

If you require the regulations for other regions, please scan the QR code below, which is also on the front of your regulations book you will have received with your licence.

           

Strong Shifty Winds On The Way

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

Wind, rain, sleet, snow... the first real winter weather system is packing it all for the lower North Island!

The gale force west to nor-west winds currently battering us make way for a very strong - and cold - southerly flow which will rip up the country on Saturday morning.

Friday is relatively calm, but the weather gets uglier throughout the day and peaks on Saturday. 

Those in the Wellington Fish & Game region will wake to strong winds and rain on Saturday morning; the southerly is strong in Taranaki first thing but the rain around the coast won't fill in on the Central Plateau/Waimarino until midday.

This is a dream weather system for waterfowl hunters. Get those layers on and get out and enjoy some awesome shooting!        

Check out Windy.com for the very latest outlook. 

Notice - Drone's Over Matthew's and Boggy Pond 

All hunters using the Boggy Pond and Matthews Lagoon complex, please be aware that NIWA is conducting scientific research in the area using drones. 

The scientists are trying to differentiate whether methane in the atmosphere comes from farm animals or local wetlands. 

Depending on the weather conditions, the drone operations will start this weekend.    

 

Tip of The Week - DIY Meat Processing Board 

Like most, I struggle for room inside my garage, so I look for any method to save space.

One tool I have been successfully using over the past couple of years is the ironing board filleting bench. It folds down to a narrow lean-to against the wall, and adjusts to a good height to process the gatherings shot or caught fishing.

Simply get hold of an old ironing board ($5 at the local second hand shop), remove the cloth material, cut to shape a section of 7mm non-treated ply (do not use treated ply as the chemicals may enter your meat), and bolt the ply to you board.

I usually slap a couple of coats of varnish on so the blood and guts wash off easier.

The ironing board system won’t handle butchering a deer or pig, but it’s great for filleting those fish or breasting those ducks.

Simple, cheap and most importantly space saving!

- John Meikle, Fish & Game officer.

  

Win A $300 Hunting & Fishing Voucher

Craig Simmons captured this beautiful shot of the sun setting over the Tararua Range on Opening Day. 

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 31, 2025. The winner will be notified via email.

Video of The Week - Decoying Difficult Ducks

Many hunters will have noticed how ducks are starting to get increasingly "educated". It's time to start hunting smarter.

This video is from the US but the tips and advice are still relevant to mid- to late-season hunting in our part of the world.

Bear in mind, though, that when down-sizing your decoy spread dropping back to six to 12 can be sufficient for New Zealand conditions.  

Click the screen shot above to watch.      

 

Need Some Advice On Your Duck Pond?

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. 

Get Those Band Details Into Us

Wellington and Taranaki Fish & Game have had a good number of bands returned already which has been great to see.

Returning band information is extremely useful as it builds on existing population distribution data and aids management of hunting regulations.

If you shoot (or have shot) a banded bird, please let us know via our website – You are welcome to keep the band and we’ll send you back some interesting information about your bird, and you’ll also be entered into a draw to win various prizes as part of our Banding Together initiative.

Recipe - Crispy Schnitzel Duck Burger 

Wondering what to do with all the ducks you’ve harvested this season?

Check out this quick and tasty Crispy Duck Schnitzel recipe from Fish & Game's Cohen Stewart.    

If you've got a good duck recipe you'd like to share with your fellow hunters, flick it through to us.     

 

Firearms Safety Authority - Registry Update

This is a reminder that after June 24, 2025, licence holders may have an activating circumstance when they purchase ammunition from firearms dealers and ammunition sellers if they have not had one already.

This means that licence holders who buy ammunition after June 24 may receive a notification from the Firearms Safety Authority – Te Tari Pūreke - that they are required to register all their arms items within 30 days after their purchase of ammunition, if they have not done so already. 

Licensed dealers and ammunition sellers will be required to record ammunition sales in the Registry as part of their legal obligations on and from June 24, 2025. 

This requirement is referred to in the Arms Regulations 1992 Section 42(3). 

Dose Your Duck Hunting Dogs