Both Barrels - March 2026

Mark up day this Sunday

A reminder to all hunters that mark-up day is this Sunday because of Easter Sunday.

Don’t accidentally lose your prime public land hunting spot by not having your licence and your tag.

Calling all photographers: Game Bird Habitat Stamp competition

The New Zealand Fish & Game Council, together with the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Trust, is running its annual photo competition — and your image could be featured on the 2028 Game Bird Habitat Stamp and Hunting Licence.

From 1 March to 30 April, show us your best shot of a game bird in its natural habitat for a chance to win $1,000 cash and a $1,000 Kilwell sports voucher. Entries are judged on creativity, technical skill, and how beautifully your photo captures the bird’s environment. Every Habitat Stamp sold helps protect vital wildlife habitats across New Zealand.

Don’t miss your chance to make your mark — and maybe even your photo go down in Fish & Game history!

Submit your photo here

Northland

What to expect this season

Over the past year, Northland has had ample rainfall, leading to ponds and wetlands having a good amount of water in them. This has led to paradise shelduck being at record numbers and is on an increasing trend. Mallards have also had a good breeding season. 

Duck Bands

We have initiated a mallard banding program so expect to see more bands in the coming years. So if you are lucky enough to find one please send in the details by selecting here.

Forestry Permits

Upland game is Northlands speciality, and we have access to many thousands of hectares of pine forests in which to hunt. Permits can be obtained by selecting here.

Northland Fish and Game Properties

In addition to this six Fish and Game owned properties can be hunted after opening weekend. Select here to request a permit.

Underwood Wetland – Dargaville

Ballots for opening weekend at the Underwood wetland are open (select here for ballot application form) until 29 March and will be drawn on 1 April.

Auckland Waikato

Changes to Auckland/Waikato 2026 Gamebird Regulations 

The changes proposed in our tri-annual gamebird regulation review have now been approved by the Minister and are available to view here. 

The two main changes are: 

• Dabbling duck season extended to six weeks (2 May – 14 June) 
• Paradise shelduck bag limit increased to 25 in areas north of Auckland 

Mobility Impaired Accessible Maimai 

Construction has finished on a mobility-impaired accessible maimai on Fish & Game land. 

This maimai, constructed on the Murray Young Wetland (near Huntly), will be made available to hunters this season. Our hope is that the maimai affords keen hunters the opportunity to get back out there doing what they love most.  

To register your interest and view photos, please follow this link. Any questions, contact our local office.  

Another great summer of banding 

A lot of work from volunteers earlier this year resulted in six successful banding sites. We also teamed up with the Northland Fish & Game team and set up a joint banding site near the Northland–Auckland/Waikato border. In total we banded 2871 birds! 

Upcoming Duck Nights 

Auckland Waikato staff will attend Hunting & Fishing Duck Nights leading up to the opening weekend. Please find the locations and dates by selecting this link.

Eastern

A good breeding season?

It looks like it may be a good start to the mallard season in the Eastern Region this opening.  Each year we trap about 1000 – 1500 mallard and grey duck.  These are aged and sexed and an individual band is attached to their leg. During the duck trapping process, we get a rough idea as to what the breeding season has been like. We have been doing this now for 30 years and during that time the average number of juveniles to adult mallards in the trap sample is 1.96. This year the ratio was 2.8.  2.8 is the second highest ratio in the last 12 years. We are the first to acknowledge that the juvenile: adult trap ratio has some inherent issues as an index of the breeding season, however we do know that summer rainfall is a good indicator of population growth. Hunters tend to do well over opening weekend when there are plenty of juveniles around so provided the weather does its bit we are expecting hunters to do well over opening weekend.

Remember Markup (pegging day) has been moved forward to the 29 March this year.

For those hunting upland game in Timberlands forests (e.g. Kaingaroa and Rotoehu Forests) you can now apply for your permits https://www.tll.co.nz/recreational_access_permits.  Just make sure you check the maps and keep an eye out for poisoning operations that they have running from May in some blocks.

Rangers will be out again collecting data and checking licences so please remember to have them with you. The Police and Firearms Safety Staff may be accompanying our rangers this year, but I know you guys will have your firearms licences with you as well.

For those that have had their boats in the Waikato River please check the golden claim containment zones on the MPI website and remember to get your boat cleaned at the boat wash stations before taking them to other catchments.

Opening weekend is a great bonding time to spend with friends and family but be careful out there, firearms are not very forgiving. 

Hawkes Bay

Well, the countdown to Opening Day 2026 has officially begun with Game Bird Licences going on sale on the 12 March and Pegging day rapidly approaching on 29 March. The Duck hunters practise shoots have started with Ben Lomond being on the 15 March and Patangata due on the 29 March.

Our recent game bird counts are showing Paradise Shelduck numbers up about 20% on last year and swans also up – as yet we haven’t completed our dabbling duck counts. With several lots of good rain in January and February things are looking positive after a relatively dry spring, with good broods sighted on rivers and ponds throughout the bay. The ample feed will be helping the upland gamebirds with staff seeing lots of pheasants, quail and Pukeko when they have been out doing field work and ranging.

Junior Opportunities - Driven Pheasant Hunt

Juniors are reminded of the wonderful opportunity they have of getting a day’s driven pheasant shooting on Hawkes Bays newest preserve; by simply buying a full season junior Gamebird Licence, you have the opportunity to go in the draw – keep an eye on our website for further information. 

Junior Clay Target Shooting Event

13 April HB Clay Target Club.
Please select here for more info.

Taranaki

Early indications bode well for a solid gamebird season in Taranaki, with reports from landholders and staff observations indicating strong concentrations of mallard / grey duck and paradise shelduck on farmland, lakes, ponds and wetlands throughout the region.

The majority of permits issued to disturb game birds from emerging turnip and chicory crops this year have included mallard duck as well as paradise shelduck, which aligns well with what we’ve seen more broadly in the field.

Dry autumn conditions mean ducks are congregating on rivers, streams, lakes and ponds with permanent water and it will be well worthwhile scouting out the location of duck camps prior to opening weekend. With the maize harvest now ramping up there will be plenty of feeding opportunities to ensure birds are in great condition for the opening.

Wellington

The outlook for the 2026 game bird season in the Wellington Fish & Game region is shaping up positively, supported by strong bird numbers from last season, encouraging hunter sentiment, and a productive recent breeding season.

The arrival of La Nina has seen more rainfall and some localised flooding – a boon for ducks because it widens the range and availability of food, meaning strong survival of juvenile mallards through summer. 

Hunters can expect good opportunities across both farm ponds and major water systems, especially where late‑season rains have maintained water levels.

Nelson Marlborough

A wet Spring and summer have hopefully resulted in a successful breeding season and lifted mallard numbers across the region and we will be conducting our annual mallard count at 60 sites at the end of the month to get the full picture. 

Now is the time to apply for a pond within Para Wetland.  Para shot well last year due to optimal water levels and decent bird numbers.  Apply here before March 31. We have a busy season of facilitated hunts ahead with organised hunts at Rabbit Island, Gardner Valley, Forestry quail hunting and the Wairau Lagoons. Apply here to get a piece of the action.

Opening Weekend of the 2026 duck season

North Canterbury has experienced a notably wet summer, creating favourable conditions for mallard/grey duck breeding across the region. Consistent rainfall has helped maintain wetland habitats, replenish waterways and support the availability of food and cover essential for successful nesting and brood rearing. The annual dabbling duck counts have now been completed, providing a valuable snapshot of population trends. Results indicate that dabbling duck numbers are similar to those recorded in 2025 and the long-term average.

Harry installs sign on Boggy Creek Maimai.

In response to ongoing demand for improved facilities, before the beginning of the 2025 season North Canterbury Fish & Game staff completed upgrades to the hunting stands (maimais) at Boggy Creek which is a designated game bird hunting area located on the northwestern shoreline of Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora. Following careful consideration of locations to provide optimal hunting opportunities, there are now six high-quality maimais available. More information on these can be read here.

The Boggy Creek area is easily accessed via Colletts Road, where a small, designated car park is available. Access by boat also remains an option.

These upgraded maimais will again be allocated via a ballot system for opening weekend 2026. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to hunt from one of the six stands during the opening weekend.

If you would like to enter the ballot, please complete the application form linked here and return it to North Canterbury Fish & Game. Applications close on 1 April 2026. Ballots will be drawn on the 2 April.

West Coast

Anticipation is building for the 2026 West Coast game bird season, with summer game bird observations showing strong numbers of birds coming through to fledging.

Opening weekend on 2 May should provide excellent early-season hunting, with plenty of naïve birds offering great opportunities for those getting out in the field. While birds can be spread early on, focusing on key food sources such as flooded paddock margins, harvested crops, and seed-rich areas will put hunters in a good position.

Last season highlighted just how many quality opportunities went untapped, particularly on maize stubble where large numbers of birds were left unshot. Now is the perfect time to start scouting, identify paddocks likely to be harvested in the coming weeks, and make a few phone calls to landowners to arrange access. Hunters who put in the effort now will be well positioned to enjoy the rewards on opening weekend. With a wide range of hunting options available, from organised hunts to public land, the West Coast continues to offer something for everyone heading into what is shaping up to be a very promising season.

Central South Island

The season’s prospects are looking good for those that hunt in the CSI region!

Our moult counts for paradise shelduck show stable numbers within management expectations and our black swan counts also indicate a healthy population. Plus, our dabbling duck surveys done alongside North Canterbury Fish & Game show that mallard numbers are looking promising across the Canterbury Plains. With the wet summer, ponds across the region should be full, meaning there should be no issues with dry ponds this season. During recent work with mallards, we also took the opportunity to band a number of birds, creating a rare chance for hunters this season to harvest a banded duck and contribute information on bird movements within the region. Although the game bird numbers are promising, it’s up to you as hunters to ensure a successful season ahead. Whether that be by scouting out birds, tweaking your decoy layout, or working on your duck calls, any of these small adjustments could make all the difference.

We’d love to hear your hunting stories this season, so be sure to share them with us at: bharper@fishandgame.org.nz. And just a heads up, our balloted wetlands are booked out for opening weekend but after that it’s first in, first served. Therefore, if you need a place to hunt after the opening weekend head on to our Fish & Game website here to apply for a permit. Good luck out there.

Otago

Wet Summer Sets the Scene for 2026 Season

Conditions are shaping up well for ducks heading into the 2026 game bird season in Otago. A wet spring and summer left plenty of water across the region, creating extensive habitat and potentially spreading birds outcome Opening. If you’ve got water in front of the maimai you’ll be in the game — and ducks should have more options this year.

Those conditions have also been positive for duck production. Flooded margins have triggered a flush of aquatic life, providing an important protein boost for young birds as they grow and put on condition over summer. Healthy wetlands and good water levels at this time of year play a key role in supporting that development.

There’ve been encouraging reports of strong brood numbers, but as always, the season will depend on how many of those birds reach maturity. Weather patterns leading into Opening will have a big influence on how things finally shape up.

Last season’s Opening Weekend marked a welcome lift after a tough 2024, with harvest survey results showing a solid rebound. Current conditions suggest the 2026 season is tracking in a similar direction if favourable conditions continue — but, as ever, it’ll come down to the weather on the day.

Southland

Down in Southland, the waterfowl season is shaping up to be a fairly typical one, with solid numbers of mallards expected off the back of a normal breeding season.

Recent paradise shelduck monitoring flights have also shown good numbers across both inland and coastal areas, while black swan populations remain within the usual range.

There are a few key regulation changes to be aware of this season. The season length has been extended from 10 to 12 weeks, giving hunters more time to get out with friends and family, work their dogs, and enjoy time in the maimai. The daily bag limit for mallards has returned to a split season, with 20 birds per day over opening weekend, dropping to 10 birds per day for the remainder. For those targeting shoveler, the daily drake limit has increased from one to two birds.