A maimai in the Waverley area is ready for duckshooting action. Photo / supplied
Ducks found safe places to sit out the opening of this year's game bird hunting season - but Ruapehu, Whanganui and South Taranaki hunters shot enough to be happy, Taranaki Fish & Game field officer Allen Stancliff said.
For South Taranaki shooters the weather was calm and overcast on Saturday.
In Ruapehu it was calm and sunny. In both areas birds found wetlands with no hunters and they sat tight, "nice and safe".
South Taranaki had a summer drought this year. Paradise ducks were in low numbers, but there were reasonable numbers of mallards.
Across the region hunters bagged enough birds to keep them happy. They were also following the rules, Stancliff found.
He ranged the Waverley area on opening day with two teams of helpers, each with two vehicles, and backing by Whanganui police. They checked about 70 hunters.
