Wellington Weekly Hunting Report 28th June 2018

Last Weekend To Bag Some Ducks

Right: Decoys take on life as a hail and sleet squall rolls over Lake Wairarapa (Photo: Hamish Carnachan).

Sunday is the last day of the waterfowl season in the Wellington Fish & Game region and the weather is set up to help hunters go out in style! 

While Saturday is looking pretty benign, a front bearing wind and rain is expected to roll across the region over the course of the day on Sunday -- this should lift birds from their safe havens and force them to move around.

A solid turn-out of hunters should make the shooting even more profitable!

Don't forget that there's plenty more wing shooting on offer this season with pukeko providing great introductory bird hunting for novice or younger shooters; quail and pheasant are also around for those who know where to look (or ask at our office).

These species (pukeko, pheasant and quail) can be targeted through to August 26, 2018 -- that's almost another two months worth of hunting opportunity.   

Make the most of it, and get the kids involved before the season ends.

This is the last Weekly Hunting Report for the 2018 season. Thanks for joining us and we hope to catch you next year.  

Here are the prospects for the weekend:

Wellington/Wairarapa

Friday		Isolated showers but otherwise fine; southerlies.
Saturday		Fine with light winds.
Sunday		Rain developing in the afternoon; nor-westerly strong in exposed places.

Manawatu

Friday		Fine with morning frosts and light winds.
Saturday		Fine at first but showers developing; light winds.
Sunday		Showers; nor-west winds developing.

Rangitikei

Friday		Foggy and frosty; light winds.
Saturday		High cloud developing; light winds.
Sunday		Showers turning to rain; nor-westerly turns westerly.

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Three day rain forecast

For the latest rain forecast click here

Friday, June 29, 6am.	Saturday, June 30, 6am.	Sunday, July 1, 6am

Pheasant Hunting On Public Land

A pheasant flushed from cover alongside the Rangitikei River (Credit: Hamish Carnachan) 

On of the best places to target pheasant (and quail to a lesser extent) is the Rangitikei riverbed.

Wellington Fish & Game staff have invested effort in supplementing the wild population of pheasant in this area so that upland game hunting can be accessed by all licenced hunters.

You'll need a permit to shoot this area (available from the office 06-359-0409) and this also has handy access maps and info.

You can also download a copy from our webpages here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the 'download' tab for Rangitikei River Hunter Access.      

Get Your Kids Out For A Shot

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.