Hawke’s Bay hunter to give away free birds for open season

Neil Clarke and Zeus hunt at last years season.

As quacks and gunshots ring out across Hawke’s Bay next weekend, one local legend is celebrating the start of game bird hunting season by pre-gifting some of his soon-to-be shot, unplucked birds.

Lifelong hunter Neil Clarke, of Havelock North, put the call out over the weekend offering mallard ducks, paradise duck and swan on a first-come first serve basis.

“I try to shoot as many ducks as I can throughout the season because our seasons is quite short,” he told Hawke’s Bay Today.

A glut of ducks, Clarke said, can often be a bit tiring and can also take up room in the freezer.

“It’s kind of like when you grow pumpkins, they are great for the first couple of weeks but after a while you start to get over them.

“In this society we are getting further and further away from where our food comes from, and this give people the chance to eat wild duck.”

Clarke is also offering to drop off the birds locally for Gold Card holders.

“A lot of the old people love it because they are used to plucking and gutting chickens, like how their mothers used to do it.

“Plus, it’s free food. As far as meat goes you can’t get any better. There aren’t any pesticides or anything like that.”

He said it was “really just giving everybody the chance to try it.”

A couple of “repeat customers” had already put their names on the list, and Clarke expects a few more will be in contact soon.

“As the season goes on, I’ll offer them up, as and when I get them.”

While Clarke said he could give wild game away, he didn’t think legally he was allowed to butcher it.

“Thats why I always err on the side of caution and say they are whole birds with feathers on.”

Opening day on Saturday, May 6, will see Clarke head towards State Highway 50 near Takapau to shoot a pond, and after that he will head out the back of Ōtāne at a friend’s site.

“We’ll have a go down the rivers, as and when the weather dictates.”

Locations will have to be picked carefully and hit hard, as the season is only short at six weeks and game numbers will be unpredictable as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle.

“I don’t think they did a Census because of the floods, so they basically left us status quo [in terms of a game limit of eight birds per day].

And nothing should go to waste, Clarke said.

“If you take something’s life, the least you can do is try get it back into the food chain.”

Bruce Bates from Hawke’s Bay Fish and Game said in a statement that extreme weather events in the Hawke’s Bay had resulted in an exceptional game bird breeding season with plenty of hunting opportunities.

“Communities are encouraged to come together to take time out to hunt with friends and family. After the events over the last few months, it is important to take some time to focus on mental health and wellbeing.

“The region offers not only some exceptional wetland and lake hunting opportunities, but also plenty of jump and paddock shooting.”