Season full of 'positiveness'

TOP SHOOTING: Tony Roseingrave says the duck-shooting season has been a good one for Wairarapa.

THE duck shooting season is drawing to a close and, apart from one person injured in Wairarapa, things have gone to plan for most.

King and Henry hunting and fishing store owner Tony Roseingrave had a good season but singled out opening weekend as the highlight so far.

"For me personally, it was opening weekend - we were shooting a new dam and it produced very well. I was using my son's dog and it was nice to see it work and retrieve."

He said his business had done better than usual.

"Certainly for us, the lead-up to duck shooting was better than last year. It's part of a general positiveness for Wairarapa, there is some good steady progress happening."

Mr Roseingrave suggested duck shooting was more than just the actual activity of shooting and suggested people get involved.

"Yes it is a form of outdoor activity but it is also a social event. You go to Farmer Brown's place and have a meal before you go out duck shooting the next day and then you go out for dinner afterwards.

"It's like going to the rugby or the theatre in Wellington but it's duck shooting."

Mr Roseingrave said the shooting of a man in Wairarapa on the first day of the season was an unfortunate but infrequent occurrence.

"The last time someone got shot was some time ago. It's unfortunate but when people are involved with firearms it can happen. It is infrequent thank goodness. Ask any shooter - it will be their worst fear shooting their companion."

Wellington Fish and Game Council manager Phil Teal said overall there had been a "very good compliance" with duck shooting regulations and firearms safety this year.

"We have no complacency on safety, we can't stress enough that people follow the seven rules of firearms safety."

The mallard shooting season was restricted to six weeks instead of eight weeks which Mr Teal says means mallard numbers will continue fluctuating upwards.

The grey, mallard and NZ shoveler duck shooting season finishes on Friday while the season for paradise ducks, black swan, quail and pheasant is extended - go to http://wellington.fishandgame.org.nz/ for details on the extensions.