Calling all Otago junior duck hunters

Otago Fish & Game Council has dedicated this Saturday as a special hunting season for young shooters to have a go at Paradise Shelduck.

The 4 March paradise shelduck one day hunting season has been especially designed to encourage junior hunters, under the supervision of firearm licenced adults, out into the field with a primary aim of recruitment.

Fish & Game Operations Manager Ian Hadland said that growing youth participation in healthy outdoor sports was a focus for the Council and it was also a great opportunity for experienced family members to pass on hunting skills and knowledge while not being distracted by hunting themselves.

“We often hear that the older hunters actually get more out of the hunt without even doing the shooting. It’s a great opportunity - its warmer, the paradise shelduck are easy to decoy and the 5 bag limit on them entirely possible” My Hadland said

Fish & Game monitoring results for shelduck showed that paradise shelduck were being managed at sustainable levels but this years’ trend counts had shown a major lift in abundance across the region. That inevitably led to increased complaints about crop damage.

“There’s plenty of Otago farmers having to disperse nuisance concentrations of paradise shelduck at present so they should be welcoming of any keen young duck hunters” Mr Hadland said.

If you have any queries call Otago Fish & Game on 03-477-9076