Northland Both Barrels June 2018

‘Great bags' for Far North hunters

Despite the floods, those prepared to make the most of all their opportunities have reported good bags.

Heath Worsfold his dogs Sneak and Biz made the most of an evening shoot in the Kaiwaka area, to come back with a bag any hunter would be happy with.

The Far North in particular has reported great bag limits this season with multiple bags being shot.

If you are struggling to hear the sounds of whistling wing beats overhead in the southern part of the region, maybe you should organise a trip further north ?

But take note the hunting season for mallards, greys and shoveler ducks finished on  July 1, 2018.

And please be mindful of the season for upland game in the Far North Area A. This season closes a full three weeks earlier than the rest of the region, on August 5^th  2018.

With the cooler temperatures, there is nothing more warming than a well-cooked roast duck.  

Nigel Slater has a very tasty recipe that combines roast duck with gin and apples. 

I have been amazed at the 'food forests' around Northland; everything grows so well and there is a bounty of home-grown produce.

Try Matakana Moonshine Gin in this recipe and visit your local growers' market to pick up your granny smith apples and juniper berries, or ask your neighbours - you never know what they might be growing in their backyard.

Mmmmmm...Roast Duck Gin and Apple Recipe (Photo courtesy Nigel Slater).

Don’t forget to check out the local eateries involved in the game bird food festival.

Access update

We now have a permit in place for the Underwood Wetland in  Dargaville.

There is still a lot of development work needing to be done at this wetland, but at present, there an opportunity to hunt pheasants.

The permit fee of $6, which covers the cost of printing maps and administration, is available from our office. You can also download an application form here.

Underwood Wetland.

Seeking your feedback 

We are undertaking a hunter harvest survey with the reminder that  this information is very helpful to making our management decisions for the Northland Region.

If you could take the time to complete the survey when contacted, we would appreciate it.

Please respect the interviewers people who are simply trying to do a job on our behalf.

If you have any questions or feedback about the survey, please direct them to our Fish & Game office.

Don’t forget to make use of the rest of the season to get value from your hunting licence.

Remember that you can now buy day licences. If you need any help in finding your next spot, or any other help, please check out our website, drop by our office, or contact us here.

Hot Barrels! 

Andrew Kirk Fish & Game Field Officer

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