About 30 young hunters from Hawke's Bay have the chance to hunt pheasants at junior hunting days this year.
All junior hunting-licence holders are entered into Hawke's Bay Fish and Game's ballot, with winners getting a free day hunting pheasant on a local preserve.
It is the third year the ballot has been run, giving juniors an opportunity most would not get otherwise.
On Sunday eight juniors gathered at Glencoe Station, each assigned a "minder" who ensured the focus on safety and gave the young hunter tips. Most juniors were experienced duck hunters but a pheasant drive is a different kind of sport.
The hunters stand roughly in a row, spread out so they each have their own area, and wait while "beaters" walk through an area in front of them sending pheasants flying up into the air. Pheasant fly faster than ducks so the juniors were told to give the birds plenty of lead.
Junior hunter Hamish Strachan went on last year's pheasant drive where he shot a few birds and said he was looking forward to having another go. His sister would be taking part in next week's shoot.
Fish and Game officer Tom Winlove said the organisation hoped to encourage the juniors to continue hunting, and to encourage adults to take youngsters out.
"Some of the juniors may only have shot on their father's pond. We want to encourage them to get into it and try a new kind of hunting," he said.
The juniors bagged 17 birds overall and would each get one to take home for dinner. A day in the peak of the season could see 200 birds shot, but many of the pheasants released had dispersed into the surrounding area.
Glencoe Station owner Colin Lindsay said the hunting days took place at the end of the season so it helped "tidy up", and they didn't mind supplying the venue.
"It's great to see young fellows learning about hunting and what it's all about," he said.
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