Wellington Weekly Hunting Report 21st June 2018

Good Hunting Set Up For Sunday

Right: Saturday should be a good one to get the kids out for a short shoot before the weather turns (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

While Saturday is going to be settled, Sunday is looking pretty good for duck hunting across much of the region with strengthening winds and a bit of showery rain coming through. 

Getting in ahead of, and set up before, the wind picks up is the key to success. So, dedicate the whole day to hunting if you can manage it.

As the wind builds it will start to move the birds off the safe areas that they may have settled into for days given the preceding benign weather. This is when the shooting can be at its best!

So, while you shoot Sunday for yourself, why not take the family and kids out for a short outing on Saturday evening when the weather is set to be calmer and more comfortable? An hour, or an hour-and-half, should be plenty long enough for the littlies and a good amount of time to bag a few birds coming in on the evening flight.

Kids love hunting, particularly being in their camo and in the maimai. A short evening shoots is a great way to start off the next generation of hunters!

We've got some handy tips below to ensure the family outing is a success, not a failure.

Here are the prospects for the weekend:

Wellington/Wairarapa

Friday		Showers clearing in the afternoon; light winds.
Saturday		Fine and frosty; nor-west developing.
Sunday		Fine but nor-westerly becoming strong.

Manawatu

Friday		Evening cloud and light winds.
Saturday		Partly cloudy and a few showers. Westerly developing.
Sunday		Showers; nor-west winds becoming strong.

Rangitikei

Friday		Fine and frosty; light winds.
Saturday		Showers; westerly wind developing.
Sunday		Rain and strengthening nor-westlery.

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Three day rain forecast

For the latest rain forecast click here

Friday, June 22, 6am.	Saturday, June 23, 6am.	Sunday, June 24, 6am

Tips For Taking Kids Hunting

A bit of planning and thought will ensure your kids enjoy the outing, rather than have a bad experience. (Photo: Hamish Carnachan) 

If kids are given the chance to experience hunting, and all that it entails, they love it! However, you can overdo it and put them off for life… which is counterproductive if you’re planning on them taking you out when you’re a geriatric.

Following are some basic tips – tried and tested – that will help set your kids on the path to becoming lifelong hunters, just like yourself.   

• Food and drink – Take plenty of both, even on short outings.   
• Keep ‘em warm – Comfort is critical in the sort of conditions we hunt ducks.
• Shelter – Aside from keeping them out of the elements, kids love huts so if you’ve got a good sized maimai, use it!
• Keep ‘em busy – Give them a task, particularly if they are too young to shoot, it gives them something to focus on and makes them feel like they are chipping in.     
• If they are shooting, you don’t – Unlicenced individuals can only use a firearm under direct supervision of a firearms licence holder.
• Hunt active – Sitting in a maimai on a slow day, with no birds coming in and nothing to do, is a sure fire way to put your kids off duck hunting. Restrict static hunting in a maimai to a short dawn or dusk session of no more than an hour. Otherwise take them jump shooting, it is far more active and interesting. 
• Safety first – Firearms, the environment we hunt waterfowl in, and the two combined, have inherent dangers if not treated with respect. Whether firearms safety, or water safety, ducks come second to keeping a constant eye on your kids. 

And make sure they have hearing protection so they don’t end up with “selective hearing like dad”. Lifejackets also need to be on hand if you are using a boat.            

Noticeboard

• Santoft Forest closed: Earnslaw One has advised Wellington Fish & Game that Santoft  Forest is closed this weekend for a motorcycle event.

• Waitarere Forest closed: Waitarere Forest is closed to game bird hunters due to the sale process for the Waitarere and cutting rights. 

Hunter Safety

Safe start to season 

Wellington Fish & Game is urging hunters to take utmost care this game bird hunting season. Please refresh yourself with the seven golden rules of firearms safety below: 

1. TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS LOADED

- Check every firearm yourself.
- Pass or accept only an open or unloaded firearm.

2. ALWAYS POINT FIREARMS IN A SAFE DIRECTION
- Loaded or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe direction.

3. LOAD A FIREARM ONLY WHEN READY TO FIRE
- Load the magazine only after you reach your hunting area.
- Load the chamber only when ready to shoot.
- Completely unload before leaving the hunting area.

4. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET BEYOND ALL DOUBT
- Movement, colour, sound and shape can all deceive you.
- Assume colour, shape, sound, and shape to be human until proven otherwise.

5. CHECK YOUR FIRING ZONE
- THINK! What may happen if you miss your target? What might you hit between you and the target or beyond?
- Do not fire if you know others are in your firing zone.

6. STORE FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION SAFELY
- When not in use, lock away the bolt, firearm and ammunition separately.
- Never leave firearms in a vehicle that is unattended.

7. AVOID ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WHEN HANDLING FIREARMS
- Good judgement is the key to safe use of firearms.

​*This report was accurate at time of writing - please ensure you check the latest weather information before you head out.