Eastern Both Barrels June 2018

A better mallard season?

The season appears to have got off to a good start compared to recent years, but we'll have a better idea of how it went once hunter harvest surveys have been completed.

Time off...Fish & Game's John Meikle and son Connor, happy with their succesful swan hunt.

Hunters faced some unfavourable hunting conditions, including a lack of strong winds to get the birds airborne hunkering down in wetland ponds.

Hunters say there was also too much water sitting in paddocks, dragging birds away from their hunting haunts.

The season for mallards and greys closed on June 17.

The good news however is that parries can be hunted for a few more weeks in some areas (check hunting areas and dates!) . Pukeko, black swan, cock pheasant and quail can all be hunted even longer, until August 26.

Our message is don’t pack up early for winter when there’s some exciting hunting to be had, especially with a dog to flush the upland game birds.

Make sure you take advantage of these seasons to get the most from your licence spend.

Again, please check your regulation booklet, or regulations page of our website. The regulations provide for fines up to $5000 for shooting a game bird out of season, so it’s well worth taking some care to known the rules and identify your target.

Reminder – and warning!

Eastern Fish & Game officers have received a number of reports of hunters targeting game birds from motorised boats under power.

This is strictly against the rules and won’t be tolerated - anyone found doing so will be prosecuted.

You can only hunt from a boat not being “propelled by mechanical power.”

Lake snow appeal

While we’re on the topic of boats, please remember to Check Clean & Dry – after the word that ‘lake snow’ is now in Taupo – along with lakes Waikaremoana, Moawhango and Rotoaira.

We urge all hunters and anglers using boats on central North Island lakes and waterways to check, clean and dry their equipment, particularly boats, motors and trailers.

There is currently no known way of removing Lindavia intermedia once it’s established in a lake or waterway.

Lake snow can produce mucus-like strands of slime which hang and drift under the water, sticking to fishing gear, boat hulls and swimmers. It can clog boat, industrial and domestic water supply filters.

To find out more on how to protect our waterways, visit www.mpi.govt.nz/check-clean-dry

So while the mallard season has closed, don’t forget to send in the details of any duck bands – remember there are nice prizes on offer in the Banding Together draw.

All band returns go into a draw for a top quality duck hunting jacket plus a six-pack of state of the art decoys generously donated by Hunting & Fishing in conjunction with the U.S. waterfowling company Banded Holdings Ltd.

Click here for details.

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