Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Duck shooters out of luck as Hawke's Bay's Lake Whatumā nears empty

By Shannon Johnstone
Hawkes Bay Today·
18 May, 2020 01:51 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The outer edges of the lake are dirt dry and with a lower water level than normal duck shooters will have to hunt elsewhere this weekend. Photo / Kurt Mackie
The outer edges of the lake are dirt dry and with a lower water level than normal duck shooters will have to hunt elsewhere this weekend. Photo / Kurt Mackie

The outer edges of the lake are dirt dry and with a lower water level than normal duck shooters will have to hunt elsewhere this weekend. Photo / Kurt Mackie

One of Hawke's Bay's finest lakes for duck shooting is now nothing but a muddy puddle, with game enthusiasts likely to be forced off it unless serious rain arrives.

The ongoing drought has crippled Lake Whatumā (Lake Hatuma) in Central Hawke's Bay.
Duck shooting season begins this Saturday and Fish & Game rangers will be out doing compliance checks this weekend.

Farmer and duck shooter Kurt Mackie, who has lived in the area for 20 years, said the lake was the driest he had seen it.

"No one will be able to shoot on it this year. Some people I know have back up plans but there is probably some who aren't shooting."

He will be shooting at a pond on his own land, which is only half full itself, but said other spots in the area will also be dry for shooting.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Regional Manager of Hawke's Bay Fish & Game Jesse Friedlander said with the severity of the drought in Hawke's Bay this year some duck hunters such as those who traditionally set up maimai at Whatumā will need to change where they hunt.

"Large areas of the lower reaches of our rivers are able to be hunted during the gamebird season and hunters have been getting out and tagging their spots for the upcoming season.

"The drought has tended to concentrate ducks in those areas with water and so river hunters and those who hunt on spring fed dams can look forward to a great season," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mackie estimates every two years out of 10 shooting on the lake isn't possible but this year the lake is dirt dry all around the edges with some mud in the centre and a small amount of water.

The lake conditions are caused by extended drought conditions Hawke's Bay has experienced this year, which Mackie describes as one of the worst.

Previous dry periods he has been through have not lasted as long as the drought this year.

There had been 60mm of rain in the area where Mackie farms for the entirety of 2020 so far. Farmers are finding the conditions "pretty tough", he said.

Discover more

Hawke's Bay leaders launch drought relief fund

18 May 12:47 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Police hunt for teen killer with quashed murder conviction, warn not to approach

Hawkes Bay Today

'I'm alive, that is good': Cyclist's inspiring one-step-at-a-time recovery after being hit by car

Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke's Bay silt removal leader offers advice to Tasman flood recovery


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Recommended for you

Warriors chase crucial win over Knights
Warriors

Warriors chase crucial win over Knights

'It's been a lot': Lawson still processing Red Bull demotion in dramatic F1 season
Formula 1

'It's been a lot': Lawson still processing Red Bull demotion in dramatic F1 season

'Wasn't pretty': Witness recalls horror scenes following cow-car crash
New Zealand

'Wasn't pretty': Witness recalls horror scenes following cow-car crash

Saints dedicate 13th NBL title to former coach Braswell
Basketball

Saints dedicate 13th NBL title to former coach Braswell

13 players win $20k each in Lotto second division – where tickets were sold
New Zealand

13 players win $20k each in Lotto second division – where tickets were sold

'Sex monster' continues to minimise 18 years of rape, violence, sadism of two partners
New Zealand

'Sex monster' continues to minimise 18 years of rape, violence, sadism of two partners



Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Police hunt for teen killer with quashed murder conviction, warn not to approach
Hawkes Bay Today

Police hunt for teen killer with quashed murder conviction, warn not to approach

Haami Hanara's murder conviction was quashed in 2023. He admitted to manslaughter.

20 Jul 03:57 AM
'I'm alive, that is good': Cyclist's inspiring one-step-at-a-time recovery after being hit by car
Hawkes Bay Today

'I'm alive, that is good': Cyclist's inspiring one-step-at-a-time recovery after being hit by car

20 Jul 02:40 AM
Hawke's Bay silt removal leader offers advice to Tasman flood recovery
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke's Bay silt removal leader offers advice to Tasman flood recovery

20 Jul 02:08 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search