For Taranaki game bird hunters who can't wait for the traditional May start of the hunting season to come around, Fish & Game is all set to lay on some summer hunting opportunities.
Fish & Game has declared a special hunting season over two weekends for paradise shelduck to help farmers disperse flocks that can damage pastures and crops.
The first weekend is Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 , followed by March 6 and 7 in the Taranaki Game Management Area 'C' only.
This area includes the Taranaki province north of the Waitotara River and all of Stratford district.
Hunting hours on each of the four days will be from 6.30am until 8pm. The daily bag limit has been set at 10 birds per hunter.