Category: Both Barrels

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Both Barrels March 2023

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Welcome to our first Both Barrels of the 2023 hunting season.

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Both Barrels July 2022

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For the latest and most up-to-date hunting info from the Wellington Fish & Game team, check out our weekly Game Bird Hunting Bulletin

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Both Barrels June 2022

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There are now only two weekends of the waterfowl season left.

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Both Barrels May 2022

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If you want the latest information and more timely updates, please sign up for our Game Bird Hunting Bulletin.

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Both Barrels April 2022

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A Season Not To Be Missed For Lower North Island Hunters

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Both Barrels March 2022

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Both Barrels will start in earnest in April, giving all hunters access to some of the best minds in game bird hunting in New Zealand.

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Both Barrels July 2021

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The team at Wellington Fish & Game wish hunters the best and we'll catch up again with Both Barrels prior to the next game bird season in April next year.

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Both Barrels June 2021

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If you're interested in exploring upland game bird hunting opportunities in the Wellington Fish & Game region, please call us on (06) 359 0409 for info.

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Both Barrels May 2021

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Duck numbers are up and the unsettled weather has arrived, making for an excellent start to the season in the Wellington Fish & Game region.

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Both Barrels April 2021

Last season was excellent this one could be even better Copyright Hamish Carnachan

A larger duck population, ideal breeding conditions, an abundant food supply and good survival rates of broods will equate to more ducks for Wellington Fish & Game region hunters to...

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Both Barrels March 2021

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With less than six weeks to go until the game bird season, we welcome our readers of Both Barrels for 2021, the place where we keep you up to date...

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Both Barrels July 2020

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Now That The Duck Season Is Over...

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Both Barrels June 2020

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The duck hunting season got off to a sluggish start in the lower North Island but it is definitely firing now the weather has become more unsettled.

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Both Barrels May 2020

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Hunters finally have the news they've been patiently waiting for – it's game on!

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Special Lockdown Edition Both Barrels April 2020

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Over the first two weeks of the lockdown, Fish & Game have been scenario planning around what form the game bird season might take.

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Wellington Both Barrels July 2019

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For more on game bird hunting opportunities in the Wellington Fish & Game region now that the waterfowl season is over, click here to read our latest hunting report.

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Wellington Both Barrels June 2019

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This weekend is your last chance to get out and see the main waterfowl season off with a bang, and give the dog one last run on the ducks until...

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Wellington Both Barrels May 2019

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Right: Waiting for the evening flight (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

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Wellington Both Barrels April 2019

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Right: Mallard trend count flight over Wairarapa (Photo Hamish Carnachan).

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North Island Roundup - Both Barrels 2018

Claire Heyns, NorthTec Practicum student, helping with shoveler counts.

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Both Barrels August 2018

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As the 2018 game bird season draws to a close, many hunters are reflecting on their success, saying it has been the best season they have experienced for a long time.

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Wellington Both Barrels July 2018

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Sorry, there is no July report for the Wellington region at this stage.

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Wellington Both Barrels June 2018

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The waterfowl season for the Wellington Fish & Game region ended on July 1, and it was one of the best for a long time.

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Wellington Both Barrels May 2018

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Sorry, but there is no report for the Wellington region this month.

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Wellington Both Barrels April 2018

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Fish & Game staff and hunters who've been out and about, have noticed far more ducks around this year (Photo Hamish Carnachan).

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Both Barrels August 2017

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The game bird season has ended... or has it?

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Both Barrels South Island Roundup

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The waterfowl 2017 season has been and gone. We hope you managed to get out on a few hunting adventures this year and filled the freezer with enough duck to...

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Both Barrels North Island Roundup

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Heath Worsfold’s truck with a nice pheasant and a happy pup named Sneak.

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Wellington Both Barrels July 2017

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The sun has gone down on what many agree has been a much better season for mallards with plenty more birds about than in previous years.

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Wellington Both Barrels June 2017

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The sun has set (July 2) on what many hunters are calling the best waterfowl season in years in the lower North Island.

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Wellington Both Barrels May 2017

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The fine sunny weather that becalmed the entire lower North Island didn’t make for much action over Opening Weekend but the action has rapidly heated up since then.

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Wellington Both Barrels Apr 2017

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One of the wettest summers many in the lower North Island can remember may have made for miserable holidaying but it has been a boon for mallard ducks.

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Both Barrels Mar 2017

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Get set to hunt some game birds

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Southland Both Barrels May 2016

Opening day is probably the only day of the year when I wake up and I’m upset by a lack of wind!

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Auckland Waikato Both Barrels May 2016

The mallard, grey and shoveler seasons are now but a memory, and even parries and black swan are off limits with their seasons over.

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Otago Both BarrelsMay 2016

For what must be the 10th year in a row, Otago hunters woke to clear calm conditions for the Opening Day.

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Central South Island Both Barrels May 2016

Opening Weekend heralded fine and pleasant weather.

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North Canterbury Both Barrels May 2016

With the game bird season well underway and the hype of opening day now past, it's time to reflect on hunting successes firstly, then focus on the great game bird...

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West Coast Both Barrels May 2016

Large numbers of hunters turned out in the West Coast Region for Opening Weekend this year, both local hunters and many from other regions.

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Nelson Marlborough Both Barrels May 2016

Fish & Game had three ranging teams out in the field on Opening Day this year, concentrating on private land around Blenheim and Murchison.

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Wellington Both Barrels May 2016

The weather was largely to blame for what can only be described as a patchy Opening Weekend, with very calm conditions in the Wairarapa and resultingly few birds moving around.

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Taranaki Both Barrels May 2016

While the hunter phone survey results are yet to be analysed, initial indications are that hunters were happy with their opening weekend bags – in many areas more mallards were...

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Northland Both Barrels May 2016

Opening Weekend game bird hunting produced a “great variety” of results for hunters around the Northland Peninsula.

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Hawke's Bay Both Barrrels May 2016

Fish & Game rangers along with police officers checked 57 waterfowl hunters over Opening Weekend.

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Eastern Both Barrels May 2016

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

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