WAIPA RIVER
Boat ramp at confluence of Waikato and Waipa at Lower Waikato Esplanade/Broadway Street, Ngaruawahia. Productive drift shooting the length of the river later in season. Access can also be gained upon request from bordering landowners.
RAGLAN, AOTEA AND KAWHIA HARBOURS
Provide good hunting for swan, paradise shelduck and dabbling ducks. Access available from public boat ramps near townships and adjacent landowners. See online for options.
THE DEEP SOUTH - THE KING COUNTRY
Other than the major waterways that are suitable for drift shooting there are limited public and DoC lands available for waterfowl hunting in our southern region.
The area however is considerably under-utilised and contains excellent gamebird populations along with a large number of back country ponds - some 900 of which were subsidised by hunter funds during the Acclimatisation Society era.
Additional hunters in the south would assist in moving birds around making hunting much more productive in the area.
Paradise shelduck in flocks numbering in the hundreds are a major problem to farmers. Consequently hunters targeting paradise shelduck typically receive a ready welcome from farmers which can lead onto worthwhile hunting (& fishing) opportunities.
A number of Auckland hunters who have travelled down into the King Country for the March Special Paradise Season, (in years when this is operating), have discovered excellent possies abandoning their older ones further north.
An excellent area in which to try door knocking for hunting possies.
