Auckland / Waikato > Hunting Regulations

Gamebird Hunting Regulations and Guides are updated annually. Please be aware at all times of local and national regulations to ensure the safety of others and the sustainability of Gamebird Hunting.

Special Seasons Calendar

Shooting hours are 6.30am to 6.30pm, except that Canada geese may be hunted or killed 24 hours per day for the 24 hour Canada goose season; 6.30am 25 May 2008 to 6.30pm 4 June 2008, and 6.30am 13 June 2008 to 6.30pm 31 August 2008 inclusive.

No limit, except on Lake Waikare – a total decoy limit of 50 decoys per stand and no decoys to be placed within 50 metres of those placed by another hunter. Note: No restriction on goose decoys.

4.1 From 3 May to 29 June 2008 inclusive, no person may use or cause to be used for the hunting or killing of game on Lake Waikare, any drifting or temporarily moored floating stand or any stand, hide or maimai which is permanently fixed to the lake bed except within 180 metres of the outer margin of the lake or the shoreline of Motu Nuia Island (Grape Island).

4.2 Floating maimais are allowed on Lake Waikare following conclusion of the duck hunting season to provide greater opportunity to target Canada geese.

4.3 No person may use or cause to be used for the hunting or killing of game on Lake Ngaroto any fixed stand, pontoon, hide or maimai except within 85 metres of the margin of the lake.

4.4 No person may use or cause to be used for the hunting or killing of game on Lake Rotokauri any fixed stand, pontoon, hide or maimai on any open water of the lake.

4.5 No person may wilfully leave on the hunting ground any game bird(s) shot or parts of any game birds shot.

4.6 No person may herd or drive waterfowl for the purpose of hunting or killing them.

4.7 No person may shoot game from any unmoored boat on the Waikato River north of the boat ramp at the confluence of the Mangawara Stream and the Waikato River at Taupiri on any of the first three days or the second weekend of the open season.

4.8 No person may possess a firearm in or on any unmoored vessel, except a rowboat, unless the firearm is dismantled or secured in a case, gunslip or other secure compartment, except when in use to retrieve wounded game.

4.9 On public land, the last tagged owner must remove any maimai not tagged up for 2 years from the date of the last mark-up.

5.1 All that area of the Waikato River below Mean High Water Spring Tide from the Tasman Sea inland to an imaginary line commencing from a marker at the exit of the Fisherman’s Road drain on the north-western side of the river in Block VII Maioro Survey District, bearing 126 degrees true to a marker on the south-eastern side of the river.

5.2 The Kaitoke Creek, Great Barrier Island and its tributaries, and an area 100 metres in width on either bank from the main road bridge over the Kaitoke Creek upstream to the southern boundary of Allotment 185 Aotea Parish and the eastern boundary of the State Forest Reserve, the Awana Stream and an area 100 metres in width on either bank from its confluence with the sea at
low-water mark to the point where the main tributary flowing across Allotment 178 Aotea Parish meets the Awana Stream, the Saltwater Creek and an area 100 metres in width on either bank from its confluence with the sea at Oruawhara Bay to a point where the south-east boundary of Allotment NW 74 Aotea Parish crosses the creek.

5.3 All DP 23519, being part Maungatapu Block, Blocks II and VI Maungakawa Survey District, being 15 hectares, the property of A. C. Allen, Riverdale, Piako, Morrinsville.

5.4 The township of Te Aroha.

5.5 All that area lying to the east of the Southern Motorway and known as Pahurehure Inlet.

5.6 129 hectares, being part of the Manukau Harbour known as Waimahia Creek (excluding the oxidation pond).

5.7 Plan DP S81922 of Lots 1-6, subdivision of part Lot 7 DP 9441 and part Section 19 Block II Whitianga Survey District, 53.3353 hectares. Property of Andrew Hill.

5.8 Weavers Lake at Huntly.

HUNTING IN AUCKLAND/WAIKATO

Hunting today suffers many threats; wetland drainage, habitat deprivation, pollution, the animal rights lobby, eco-fundamentalists, paranoia over firearms and worst off all, indifference.

There are groups who safeguard and share your interests. To join a group concerned with gamebird hunting and the outdoors, please contact your local user group.

• Eden/Papakura/Clevedon/ Miranda: Bill Gordon, 15 Weston Ave,

Papatoetoe

• Franklin: Grant MacKay, 84 Torkar Rd, Clarks Beach

• Hamilton: Michelle Houghton: 19 Purcell Place, Hamilton

• Helensville: Keith Hargraves, 5 Solan Dr, Waimauku

• Huntly: Wayne Rendall, 136 Rayner Road, Huntly

• Kumeu: Mike Sheppard, C/- Westgate H&F, PO Box 584, Kumeu

• Mercury Bay: Bruce McWilliams, 15 Sarah Ave, Whitianga

• Morrinsville: Rachel Toner, PO Box 223, Morrinsville

• Ohinemuri: A. Jesperson, 4 Walmsley Cres, Paeroa

• Otorohanga: Bruce Bush, 3 Hinewai St, Otorohanga

• Putaruru: Martin Bennett, 689 Arapuni Rd, Putaruru

• Te Aroha: Irene Needham, 65 Gordon Avenue, Te Aroha

• Te Awamutu: Mark Preston, 167 Flat Rd, RD 5, Te Awamutu

• Te Kauwhata: Andrew Kerr, 123 Travers Rd, RD 2, Te Kauwhata

• Upper Piako Management Assoc.: Mike O’Donnell, 116 Regent Heights,

Thames

• Waitemata: Len Moule, 89 Lynden Ave, Northcote

DUCK NIGHT

The ever popular Duck Nights will again be run in Hamilton with the guest speaker being the man who invented “Wonder Duck”, with the Rusty Dog Outdoors in Pukekohe taking over the Auckland Duck Night from Sportways with the customary tall yarns, guest speakers, calling competition, etc.

Rusty Dog Outdoors are also again running its popular Duck Hunters Eye Opener shoot, contact the store for particulars.

If you want further information on what is planned call Waikato Hunting & Fishing Hamilton, 07 849 0297, or the Rusty Dog Outdoors, 09 238 6447.

DUCK NIGHTS

The annual “Duck Nights” will again be run in Hamilton and Auckland

• Auckland

Wednesday 26th March 2008, 7.00 pm at Rusty Dog Outdoors, 197A Manukau Rd, Pukekohe

Thursday 17 April 2008, 7.30 pm at Sportsways Gunshed, 35D Normanby Road, Mt Eden – emphasis will be on getting young people involved.

Thursday 17 April 2008, 6.30 pm at Hunting & Fishing Takanini – BYO supper provided guest speaker.

Wednesday 19 March 2008, 7.30 pm at Franklin Fish & Game Association, Pukekohe Cossie Club, 78 Nelson St, Pukekohe.

• Hamilton

Wednesday 16April 2008, 7.00 pm at Waikato Hunting & Fishing, 417 Te Rapa Road, Hamilton (note change of address), Guest speakers. Registration is essential as numbers are limited. PH 07 849 0297 or register at the shop.

If you want further information call Waikato Hunting & Fishing Hamilton 07 849 0297, Rusty Dog Outdoors, Pukekohe 09 238 6447, or Sportways Gunshed 09 631 5275.

CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS THIS YEAR

No significant changes for the 2008 season other than an increase in the daily bag limit for Canada geese from 10 to 20.

CANADA GOOSE 24HR MOONLIGHT GOOSE HUNTING – EXTENDED

Also with the increasing popularity of the 24 hour goose hunt to tie in the full moon, there will be one period this season, and an extended period through June and August:

• 6.30 a.m. 27 May 2008 to 6.30 p.m. 6 June 2008 and

• 6.30 a.m. 13 June 2008 to 6.30 p.m. 31 August 2008 inclusive.

HUNTING ON FISH & GAME AND CROWN LAND

A General Authority (Which is free to all licence holders) is required to hunt on Fish & Game Land – some 1700ha being owned by the Auckland/Waikato Region purchased from hunters’ and angler’s funds. The Authority can be obtained by sending a stamped, self- addressed envelope to Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game, Brymer Rd, RD 9, Hamilton.

To hunt on Crown land managed by the Department of Conservation you require a require a similar permit (also free). These can be uplifted from Sportways Guns Shed, 49 Normandy Rd, Mt Eden, Waikato Hunting & Fishing NZ, 417 Te Rapa Rd, Hamilton, or by contacting the Department of Conservation Hamilton, Private Bag 3072 Hamilton.

TAKE A MATE HUNTING – FOR ONLY $2

Do you have a mate, relative, friend, co-worker or know somebody who is keen to give duck hunting a go, but doesn’t want to pay the full cost of a licence? If so, on a strictly first come, first served basis, limited to the first 50 hunters who write into the Auckland/Waikato office with their 2008 Gamebird Licence number, we will let you take your mate hunting on opening weekend for the $2 cost of the Habitat Stamp which is affixed to the licence – which as you will recall is used solely to create, protect and restore wetland habitat.

The offer is strictly limited to those persons (i.e. the mate) who have not purchased a licence before (and we have extensive database records on our computer going back for the last decade which will allow us to check this) – the offer is only opening weekend –recipients of the mate’s licence must be accompanied by a whole season licence holder – the offer only applies to the Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game region – the mate must of course comply with the Game Hunting Regulations.

There has never been a better opportunity to introduce your friend, spouse, son or daughter to gamebird hunting.

AUCKLAND/WAIKATO DUCK FACTORY HOTSPOTS

Auckland /Waikato has produced a 48 page booklet which is the most comprehensive guide to game bird hunting in its area ever published, with clear text and maps, which is free on receipt of a large stamped, self-addressed envelope.

GETTING STARTED IN GAME BIRD HUNTING

This is a clear and comprehensive 24 page booklet that set s out absolutely everything you need to know in order to “get started”, and is free on receipt of a stamped, self- addressed envelope.

MAIMAI CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES

Hunters today are under pressure from people who do not understand the traditions of waterfowl hunting, and thus hunters have an obligation to construct and maintain their maimais in a manner that reflects well on the waterfowl hunter’s image. This simple pamphlet contains construction guidelines for permanent maimais agreed to by Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game, Land Information NZ, Department of Conservation, and Environment Waikato. It is essential reading for all new and existing hunters. As with other Auckland/Waikato information it is available free of charge on receipt of a stamped, self addressed envelope.

To download the latest national regulations, please click on North Island or South Island