Hunting: Manuherikia Valley mai mai has all comforts of home

Sharing a joke at the entrance of their mai mai are (from left) Tony Lepper, of Clyde, Brie Lepper, of Invercargill, Doug Reid, of Queenstown, and Geoff McAtamney, of Lauder. Photo: Tom Kitchin

As the sun rose on Saturday in Central Otago, hundreds of people took to the outdoors, hunkering down in maimai and beginning the long-held tradition of duck-shooting.

Groups in the district were out in force, celebrating another year of the popular sport.

Croz Crosbie was celebrating the completion of his new mai mai near Alexandra, which is about the size of a small house.

"Normally, we're in tin sheds or hay bales. We've done that for years, but this is just so comfortable."

He had a friend in Southland who had a large maimai with a coal range.

"We put some shanks on [the friend's coal range] and had a roast and at the end of the day the smell of the mai mai was amazing."

But he wanted to go one better, Mr Crosbie said.

Beyond a coal range, his new 90sqm maimai included a pool table, bar, oven, mini-theatre, coffee machine, running water and a toilet.

Outside was a large deck with picnic tables and a spectacular view of Central Otago.

The only thing needed was a great pond — Mr Crosbie admitted the attention on the mai mai meant a proper duck pond had not been completed.

By lunchtime on Saturday, he and his friends had shot only two ducks, although 28 had appeared in the past few days as they were preparing for the opening weekend.

"They're probably on someone else's pond and been bombed," he quipped.

The weather was calm and slightly cloudy, which was "not 100%".

"It's better if it's really overcast and drizzle and fog because it keeps the ducks really low. Otherwise, when they start flying they go higher and higher because they can see what they're doing."

The Otago Daily Times stopped by to visit a group of avid duck-shooters in the Manuherikia Valley.

Tony Lepper, his daughter Brie, Geoff McAtamney and Doug Reid were hiding in a small mai mai beside an irrigation pond near Omakau.

In its past life, the mai mai was a Niwa observatory but for several seasons it has been this team's duck shooting lair.

The crew had shot nine ducks by 11.30am.

Mr Lepper said this was "disappointing", as usually they would have shot 15-20 by late morning.

"There were a lot of ducks when we arrived and we thought we were in for a really good morning but they've left and we've only had a few come back."

But the mix of mallard and paradise ducks they had shot would be handy for a duck dinner that evening.

Mr Lepper said duck-shooting was "a big deal in Central Otago".

"It's the biggest night of the year — it's about family and all generations."

Mr Reid said duck shooting had "more attraction than a birthday party".

It involved bringing families back to the farm, enjoying catch-ups with old mates and and enjoying a delicacy.

tom.kitchin@odt.co.nz