Hunters feel effects of cyclone

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The opening weekend of this year’s duck shooting season brought a mixed bag for hunters.

Many reported a great start, but others not so great, said Eastern Region senior fish and game officer Matthew McDougall.

“After a great breeding season there were a lot of ducks around.

“The ducks however, were not always where the hunters were and this appears to be particularly so around the East Coast where a lot of the maize has been ploughed back into the ground following the flooding,” Mr McDougall said.

“That has attracted the ducks away from their traditional hunting grounds.

“All the rain just before opening weekend also provided plenty of paddock water which made hunting a little more challenging.

“Hunters may have to be a bit inventive in how they target these birds,” he said.

“Interestingly, we are getting reports of hunters doing well in areas that traditionally performed poorly, indicating perhaps that the ducks are not occupying their usual haunts.

“This weekend’s forecast should provide some good duck hunting in many parts of the Eastern Region.”