Both Barrels July 2022

Only Two Weekends Left!

With a stable forecast between now and closing day, birds should be predictable, and scouting will be very beneficial.

The frosts forecasted should help concentrate birds and create some good hunting opportunities.

Right: Hamish Coates enjoying the hunting during the Karamea organised event. (Photo Baylee Kersten)

Late-season hunting can bring mixed results, with paired birds being anti-social while lone drakes’ decoy especially hard.

For management purposes hunting the excess drakes rather than pairs is great, so take them if you can!

Like last year, pukeko harvest is right up again on the West Coast, so be sure to fill in your last days out hunting by giving them a nudge also.

Lastly, good mobs of swans have been observed around our larger water bodies, and farmers will often readily give access to those wanting to target them.

A great way to round off the season is bagging some big birds!

Riley Gibbens, with the help of his lab, Rem securing themselves a heavy brace on the Matai organised hunt.

Opportunities beyond July

Closing day is Sunday the 31st of July; following that, game bird hunters will have to wait till summer to hunt game birds again as the birds get left to breed over spring.

Come Summer, from the 1st of January to the 19th of March; hunters will be able to target pukeko (daily bag limit of 10).

Paradise shelduck can be hunted between the 25th of February and 19^th of March 2023 (daily bag limit of 10) at locations 200 m away from open water.

Swans can also be hunted between the 25^th and 19^th March 2023 (daily bag limit of 2).

The intent of the summer pukeko season is to create additional hunting opportunities for the abundant game birds benefiting both hunters and landowners alike.

It is also hoped that with long day length during the summer, hunters might be able to get out more and take the opportunity to introduce someone new to the sport.

Local Clay Bird Target Clubs are always keen to have additional numbers at their events.

Try to go along in the offseason – club members are full of knowledge when it comes to shotgun shooting and are more than happy to share it.

Next season you will shoot much better as you will have kept your eye in during the offseason and might have even got rid of the odd bad habit or two.

Organised Hunts

Barrytown Pukeko Drive 2022

Organised hunts are completed for the year and were a big success.

Hunter bagged plenty of birds and had a great time doing so!

At the last two events, Karamea saw one of our largest tallies yet, and Matai was a great day out hunting which ended in some good shooting.

If you are interested in attending future events and want to be added to keen hunters lists, email bkersten@fishandgame.org.nz.

There are still a few important dates on this year's calendar so be sure to have a look below.

Get amongst it!

Baylee Kersten, West Coast Fish & Game Officer