Both Barrels June 2024 - Wellington

Season Coming to A Close

Image caption - A morning hunt on Lake Wairarapa mid-June (Credit: Hamish Carnachan)

What’s been an interesting and at times challenging waterfowl season is drawing to a close – June 30.

While the season got off to a somewhat slow start for some, the weather for hunting improved markedly in June with regular good nor-westerlies moving birds around.

Low pressure systems forming in the Tasman on a weekly basis produced strong variable winds which moved right around the compass ensuring the ducks couldn’t settle for long.

Some rain would have helped hunters but the lower North Island seems to be still held in the grip of the dry which saw drought in many parts over the summer.

For now, it’s time for hunters to turn their attention to upland game and pukeko, which can be hunted through to August 25, 2024.

We’d encourage hunters to make the most of their investment in a licence and shoot the whole season through.

There are plenty of quality spots to chase pheasant and quail in the Wellington Fish & Game region on public land and in forestry blocks where we have negotiated hunter access.

If you’d like to learn more about these opportunities, please get in touch with the team – wellington@fishandgame.org.nz.

Also, why not get a group of mates together and do a pukeko drive?

These birds can cause a nuisance for farmers when they build up in numbers so landowners are often happy to oblige with hunting access.

Pooks also provide surprisingly good wing shooting and don’t taste too bad either when prepared properly. Check out this video of Hank Shaw cooks Pukeko by selecting here.