Both Barrels July 2025 - Central South Island

Season wrap up

The traditional game bird hunting season is ending shortly in the Central South Island Region.

The mallard/grey duck, NZ shoveler duck, pūkeko and black swan seasons all close on the last Sunday in July.

Picture above: A very successful late-season hunt, from left to right, Evie, Lucas, Finn and Teal - credit Hamish Stevens

For 2025, closing day is Sunday July 27.

We do hope you’ve had a great season so far and can sneak out again for another hunt.

Be sure to check out all the season dates first-hand in this 2025 Game Bird Hunting Guide, including those for our 2026 summer season.

If you are ever in doubt about a certain regulation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Central South Island Fish & Game: email - csi@fishandgame.org.nz, phone – 03 6158400.

The paradise shelduck and upland game seasons continue

Angelo Georgalli with a quail that was flushed from some tight matagouri - credit Richie Cosgrove

Don’t put your shot gun away just yet.

The chukar and quail season close on the last Sunday in August.

Chukar

Chukar hunters are required to report their hunting activities to CSI Fish & Game within a month of the season closing date – that reporting deadline being 1^st October.

To help with this reporting requirement chukar hunters are urged to contact us to receive a hunting diary that handily specifies all the pieces of information to provide. Please contact Hamish Stevens at our office to get yours – email hstevens@fishandgame.org.nz or phone 03 6158400.

Quail

Quail are scattered throughout the region and are most active on warm sunny days. 

Scrubby riverbed areas and rolling hills in the high-country strewn with matagouri are a good place to start looking for quail.

Opening Weekend harvest survey results

Thanks to the hunters who took part in the 2025 Opening Weekend harvest survey.

A total of 153 hunters were surveyed. Of these, 113 hunted within the Central South Island (CSI) Region and their results are reported here.

Most hunters went out on Saturday, with 67 hunting both days, 45 on Saturday only, and 1 on Sunday only.

Hunters reported a below-average harvest, with an average of 9 mallard/grey ducks per hunter, which is below the long-term average of 13. The total average bag for all waterfowl was 12.5 birds, also below the long-term average of 16.

Hunters averaged 3 paradise shelduck each, maintaining a steady harvest similar to recent seasons.

All Day Bay Lagoon maimai upgrade!

Jase Van Beers adjusting the roof of the new maimai at All Day Bay - credit Rhys Adams

Recently, CSI Fish & Game disassembled two old maimais and installed two new ones at our managed wetland, All Day Bay Lagoon.

There’s still one more new maimai to be installed before next season.

These upgrades will benefit hunters at All Day Bay Lagoon for seasons to come. If you’re planning to hunt here in the future, please follow a pack in, pack out policy: take everything with you when you leave, including spent shotgun cartridges, and leave the maimais clean and ready for the next hunter.

And don’t forget, if you plan to hunt here this season or in future seasons, make sure to apply for a permit through our Fish & Game website.

Check out the time-lapse of the work by clicking HERE!

Plan for hunting in 2026

Wainono's abundant bird life prior to Opening Weekend - credit Rhys Adams 

2026 summer season

Your current 2025 whole season game bird licence covers you for the 2026 summer season for mallard and paradise shelduck.

For just two weekends in February, four days total, mallard and paradise shelduck can be hunted under specific and restrictive ‘summer season’ regulations.

We urge anyone intending to hunt the summer season to thoroughly read the regulation guide and to get in touch with our office if any clarification is needed.  

Need a spot for Opening Weekend 2026?

Depending on water levels the Central South Island Fish & Game Council has up to 15 stands available for hunting the Opening Weekend on wetlands it owns or manages.

The stands offer modest hunting opportunities and are a great way to secure a spot for opening in attractive hunting grounds.

Rights to hunt these stands on Opening Weekend are balloted annually – you can apply to enter the ballot during the month of February. If this sounds like the plan for you then be sure to mark it in your 2025 calendar now and get in touch with us in February.

Our managed wetlands webpage has all the ballot info you need - click here

Scouting spots for next season

Just because the game bird season is coming to a close, doesn’t mean you have to switch off until next May. The next Opening Weekend rolls around quicker than you think, and you don’t want to find yourself two weeks out, scrambling to scout spots you swore you’d check months earlier.

The spring and summer seasons can be the perfect time to keep your eye out for potential hunting areas while you're out fishing or simply walking the dog. Sure, ducks may be more spread out during the off-season due to breeding and shifting feeding patterns as paddock harvests create fresh stubble, but a quiet backwater or an out of the way pond holding even a few birds now could be a hotspot come Opening Morning.

Willow-lined riverbanks, ponds, or slack water on a side braid, make a mental note, drop a pin, or snap a photo. You never know, when you return to claim/tag your spot closer to Opening Weekend, you might find more birds holding there.

 

Goodluck out there,

Blake Harper, Fish & Game Officer