Wellington Weekly Hunting Report - 27 June 2019

Last Chance to Bag Some Ducks

Right: Waiting for the evening flight on a very still Wairarapa evening (Photo: Hamish Carnachan). 

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 next year.     

While the weather is looking pretty settled right through the region, traditionally the last weekend of the season sees good numbers of guns out and about, keeping the ducks moving around. 

Position and plan well and you'll see some ducks turn up in the decoys. 

As we've mentioned before, with the season all but behind us now and the pressure off, it's a great time to introduce a mate, a sibling, a partner or a child to game bird hunting.

It's only $22 for an adult day licence so why not start a tradition like many other hunters are and take someone new for a shoot on the last weekend of the season.   

This will be the last waterfowl Weekly Hunting Report but we'll update you on upland game opportunities in coming weeks.  

We trust you've had a great season and hope to see you out there chasing some pooks, quail or phesant over the coming winter months.

Here are the prospects:

Wellington/Wairarapa

Friday		Fine with northwesterlies developing.
Saturday		Mainly fine; northwesterlies.
Sunday		Mainly fine, light winds.

Manawatu

Friday		Mainly fine with northwesterlies developing around evening
Saturday		Mainly fine; northwesterlies.
Sunday		Fine; light winds.

Rangitikei

Friday		Mainly fine with light winds.
Saturday		Mainly fine and northwesterlies.
Sunday		Fine with a northerly developing.

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Three day rain forecast

Check out the latest rain forecast.

Friday, June 28, 9am	Saturday, June 29, 9am	Sunday, June 30, 9am

Post Season Post-mortem

It's time to take stock of the duck hunting season that's almost over (Photo: Hamish Carnachan). 

When you've dragged in the decoys in the dark this Sunday evening, locked the gun away in the safe, and fed and kenneled the dog, it's time to start taking stock of the season that's just been. 

No doubt there will have been high and lows, hunts that worked out well and then those days that nothing seemed to go right...

A great idea to help you improve and plan for next season is to note down some of these things down. Scribble your thoughts in an old diary, or right a little post on your favourite hunting forum if you're that way inclined ...

Whatever way you want to do it, getting thoughts and ideas down now, while they're fresh in your mind, is much better than trying to recall what you would have changed or done better when the eve of the next hunting season rolls around.

No one has a perfect season. No one. Casting a critical eye over how your own season panned out, being as thorough and honest in reflection as possible, will help your iron out some of the bad issues that cropped up or recreate the good hunts that played out. 

Give it a try. Get you notes down and then revisit them a few weeks out from Opening Day 2020 - it will, without doubt, make you a better hunter and help you have a better season next year.    

 - Hamish Carnachan, Fish & Game officer. 

Landowners In Clear For Recreational Access 

WorkSafe has confirmed that people participating in outdoor recreation are responsible for their own risk rather than landowners or businesses.

An article by Stuff reports that the landowner or principal in charge is only responsible for risks arising from the work, and is not responsible for the risks associated with the recreational activities 

Entry to JK Donald Block

Just a reminder to hunters that you must have a current vehicle sticker and Lake Wairarapa Hunting Permit to access the JK Donald - both are available from Wellington Fish & Game's office by calling (06)359-0409. 

You must also obtain the landowner's permission. We can provide contact details when you apply for your sticker and permit. 

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