Eastern Both Barrels May 2016

Hunters - get a permit to hunt in Crown-owned wetlands

Hunters can now take advantage of being able to hunt the 20-odd Crown-owned wetlands around the region administered by Fish & Game.

‘Walk in’ or casual permits are being issued for most of these balloted reserves. The permits can be obtained by phoning or writing to the Eastern Region Fish & Game office.

These casual permits to hunt the wetlands become available after the first two weeks of the season, a fortnight which allows the successful ballot holders two weeks of undisturbed hunting.

These reserves can offer some very productive hunting, especially the coastal ones during periods of rough weather. You’ll find details about all of them on the Eastern hunting pages of our website here.

Remember the season closes for mallard and grey ducks on June 19. (Shoveler can only be harvested until June 6!).

Plenty more birds to target…

Rangers out and about in the Bay of Plenty have seen reported seeing lots of ducks flying round.

And while mallard and shoveler may be off limits after June 19, but there are plenty of other challenges – with the season for pukeko, black swan, pheasant and quail running until almost the end of August (28th).

When you consider a daily bag limit of 10 pooks, and five each for quail and pheasant, and no limit for black swan in the A1 area – it all adds up to lots of hunting opportunities.

Is it my turn yet?

Opening Weekend fortunes

The weather went against duck hunters yet again, with fine and balmy conditions in many parts of the region, which saw birds flying high and difficult to target.

As usual, some hunters who had prepared their maimais well did alright and achieved bag limits, or close to it.

Our teams out ranging along with police officers turned up very few offences. Fish & Game Officer In total, 217 hunters in total were checked around the region as far afield as the Gisborne - East Coast area.

Right: Waiting for the real ducks to show up...a pond near Gisborne.

Six offenders were booked – four for hunting without a game bird hunting licence and two for illegal use of lead shot, which represents a 97-plus per cent compliance rate.

Those folk heading out to hunt over the next few weeks are reminded of a firearms law that some are forgetting – you must carry your firearms licence with you along with your current game bird hunting licence. “It’s back at the car” is no excuse!

And don’t forget to send in your band details – you could win a nice hunting jacket. 0800 BIRD BAND is 0800-2473 2263.

Hot Barrels …but stay safe!