Mixed bag for duck hunters in Tairāwhiti

Duck shooting season started with mixed results. Photo / Ian Cooper

Tairāwhiti’s duck shooting opening weekend was a fairly “mixed bag” as is often the case, says Eastern Region Fish and Game officer Anthony van Dorp.

Wairoa hunters struggled to find birds despite the wind and some rain, which was usually expected to help hunting, he said.

“Around Gisborne and the hill country, persistent hunters on good ponds generally did okay with some limit bags taken,” van Dorp said.

“Out on the flats, hunters who were... over maize paddocks, generally did well with birds coming in to feed on the leftover maize.

“It was noticeable that quite a lot of maize around the district had not yet been harvested yet, and the recent rain creating plenty of lying water also made for dispersion of ducks.

“As is usually the case, the hunters who were well prepared and persistent still did okay over the weekend.”

Rangers working with police officers were out over the weekend.

“They seized three shotguns for offences relating to gun magazines not being restricted to hold no more than two shots, and using lead shot over or within 200 metres of water while hunting ducks,” van Dorp said.

“This is disappointing, as the lead prohibition has been in place for about 20 years now, and the magazine restriction has also been in place for several years.”