Fine weather challenges hunters on opening weekend

The weekend's clear, sunny weather was not conducive to duck-shooting but overall people were happy with how the opening weekend to the bird hunting season went.

Plentiful game bird numbers were predicted in the lead-up to Saturday morning, but the fine weather meant it was a bit of a slow start, said Hawke's Bay Fish and Game senior officer Nathan Burkepile.

Out and about over the weekend to check on hunters' compliance, he said on Saturday afternoon, for example, there were thousands of ducks settled on the wet paddocks near Poukawa.

"They weren't in the traditional places that hunters go, but some shot a fair number and were happy with that," he said.

He said compliance had generally been good.

John Paling has rarely missed an opening weekend shoot in more than 50 years and was very satisfied with Saturday's result at Pekapeka swamp.

He headed out at 6.30am with nephew James Paling and long-time hunting companion Jab Milne, and the trio came in just before 6pm having bagged 11 mallards, two paradise ducks, eight swans and two Australian shovelers, he said.

"We shot really well which was a plus, we got lots of birds which was another plus and cooked some good food - it was great."

Slightly foggy conditions in the morning helped, and the shooting was good until lunchtime, although the evening was average, said Mr Paling.

A member of the Pekapeka Shooting Association, which works in with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council planting up areas of the Pekapeka wetland, he said previous years' efforts with plantings, digging islands, and creating a duck-friendly habitat were paying off.

"The more work you put into it the more you get out of it - there's another 200 trees on order and the spot spraying has been done for those to go in."

Hawke's Bay Regional Council asset manager open spaces Steve Cave said the northern end of the wetland was restricted from duck-shooting to allow for ecological restoration, but recreation and harvesting food were also considerations.

"About half of the area is available for shooting and the shooting association has helped out with plant and predator control, as well as native plantings - it's a really good arrangement."

Around the country thousands of game bird hunters turned out for the start of the new hunting season and as of yesterday there had been no reports of any serious or even more minor incidents said Fish & Game communications manager Don Rood.

With an estimated 40,000 licensed game bird hunters, it was a relief to have everyone make it home safe and happy from opening day - regardless of how many birds they had managed to harvest, he said.