Duck-shooting season starts today with three extra high-tech gadgets at the modern hunter's disposal.
The life-like Flapping Splasher is one of three new decoys designed by Christchurch company Outdoor Outfitters to get the attention of feathered prey overhead.
The remote-controlled, lithium battery-powered decoy flaps its wings just like a real duck and a bilge pump puts an enticing ripple on the water.
"The best thing is they have a remote so they can be turned off," said Quintin Blacklock of Outdoor Outfitters.
"The old ones run constantly so birds get used to them, or the decoy would turn on at the wrong time and scare the birds away."
Purist hunters armed with wooden duck calls may turn their noses up at the fancy wings and water jets of the Flapping Splasher but stockist David Tipple at Gun City said the decoy, priced at $399, had been popular.
Other new designs include a Mallard Motion Feeder or "duck butt" decoy, which simulates a duck bottom feeding, and a Swimming Mallard, which can be controlled from 50m away.
Mr Tipple said most hunters bought all three to maximise their hit rate.
The past two seasons had also seen the rise in popularity of the Molesworth laydown blind.
It is also known as the "coffin blind" because hunters lie on a padded backrest and sit up when ducks fly overhead.
"They are easy to pack down and move to where the birds are, which you can't do with a built mai-mai," Mr Blacklock said.
Fish and Game spokesman Don Rood said an increase in the duck population this year meant some regions had extended the season.
Shredded duck & cabbage salad
Kiwi chef Josh Emett is a keen duck hunter. And the celebrity chef will be joining hunters seeking to bag some ducks during the 2016 season.
Here is a favourite recipe which is served at his Madam Woo restaurants.
Ingredients
100g five-spice roast duck*
100g shredded cabbage
50g cucumber (matchsticks)
5g red chilli (sliced)
5g spring onion
15g dried shallot
30ml lime dressing (see recipe below)
10ml chilli oil
10g crushed peanuts
salt to taste
*Could substitute for 2 duck legs, rubbed with the dry spice marinate, then sprinkled with pepper, szechuan pepper and salt.
Roast duck
1 whole duck
120g dry spice marinate (see recipe below)
5g crushed black pepper
5g crushed szechuan pepper
30g salt
Method
Remove the duck neck, wingtips, bottom and feet and then butterfly before roasting. Make sure you pat dry the carcass.
Apply the dry spice marinate on the inside of the duck, not the skin, and marinate for ½ hour.
After that, place the butterflied duck on a roasting rack, and sprinkle the crushed black pepper, szechuan pepper and salt evenly on the skin of the duck before roasting.
Put into an oven preheated to 200C and roast for 1 hour.
Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool down before picking the meat and slicing thinly.
Mix well, check the seasoning if salt is needed before dividing into 100g portions. Keep in fridge before use.
Five-spice roast duck dry spice rub marinate
140g garlic
40g ginger
32g Chinese five-spice
20g ground coriander
100g gluten-free soy sauce
60g Chinese cooking wine
Method
Place all the ingredients in blender and blend to a smooth paste.
Lime dressing
440g lime juice (fresh)
400g pickling liquid (see recipe from marinate)
240g fish sauce
Method
Combine ingredients and mix well.