Both Barrels April 2022

It is that time of year now when daylight hours are getting shorter which means game bird hunters are getting excited about the new season upon them.

Having a relatively wet spring/early summer in our region meant that our ducklings have had a good head start with plenty of good food from surface flooding on farmland and wetland areas so we should see an increase in mallard numbers which is great.

Above Right: Check out our video on hunting Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.

It has also been pretty dry recently in the high-country and lowland country which may affect some game bird hunters ponds or hides on a lake might be high and dry so you might need a backup plan for opening day.

We have no idea how the weather forecast will play out, but we all hope that it's going to be windy, especially the hunters that hunt on Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere over Opening Weekend as wind is so important to keep the birds moving.

We recently made a short video on how and where to go on Lake Ellesmere as after opening weekend, it’s a great opportunity to experience public land big water duck game bird hunting click here to watch.

There are a couple of regulation changes this season, first one is with black swans only allowing 2 birds from 7 May-31 July in Areas A & B and the second change is with cock pheasants that you get three weekends to hunt them, 4 to 5 June, 2 to 3 July and 6 to 7 Aug which is the first weekend in each of those three months.

A quick reminder about the boat ramp at North Rakaia Huts Village, they are doing maintenance on the ramp from 11^th May until the 27^th June so it will be closed over this period.

Warm Barrels

Harry Graham-Samson, North Canterbury Fish & Game