Otago - The Game Call - 14 August 2025

Days are getting longer

Welcome back to The Game Call, your fortnightly Otago Regional Hunting Report.

There are three weeks left in the Otago hunting season for upland game, paradise shelducks and black swans. Days are getting longer, so there’s more time to get out and still fit other things into your day. Whether walking the hills for quail or chasing waterfowl, the weather on Saturday looks great to get outdoors before showers and snow are likely.

Pictured above: Paradise shelduck may still be hunted across Otago region until Sunday, August 31.

Black swans at a coastal estuary in South Otago last weekend.

In this issue:

• Hunting on private land
• We’re on the move
• Who We Are
• Upper Lakes catchment action plan
• Photo Competition
• Recipe Competition
• Weather Outlook

Private vs public hunting opportunities

We asked: “On Opening Weekend, did you hunt public or private land?” Here’s how hunters answered.

We’re working hard to preserve and improve access to hunting opportunities.

The relationship between farmers and hunters is vital to the future of game bird hunting for access and good habitat for birds.

• Most game bird hunting in Otago occurs on private land. This fact was reinforced by the 2025 Game Harvest Survey which Otago Fish & Game staff have been conducting over the season. We asked hunters: On Opening Weekend, did you hunt public or private land?
• The response of 86% on private land clearly illustrates the value of negotiating access to hunting opportunities. Most of these opportunities come from friendly approaches, respectful relationships, and observing simple etiquette.
• We appreciate the rural landowners who generously allow licence holders to hunt game birds on their properties. Many farmers are game bird hunters and understand the importance of hunting traditions to the community.
• We’re also advocating for more opportunities for hunting access on publicly owned land where 14% of Opening Weekend activity took place this season.  

We’re on the move

Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland inspects progress on the new building construction at Mosgiel.

Otago Fish & Game Council is preparing to move to a purpose-built headquarters in Mosgiel, with the transition expected to take place in mid-November.

The modern facility, currently under construction in Hazlett Road, will replace the organisation’s ageing central Dunedin premises and reflects a future-focused, financially responsible approach to delivering better value for fishing and hunting licence holders.

• The new base will streamline operations and provide a more practical working environment for staff and councillors.
• Our new headquarters reflects careful stewardship of licence holder funds. We’ve reinvested the proceeds from the sale of our Dunedin site to create a building that’s modern, practical, and fit for purpose — with little extra cost to our reserves.
• Designed for efficiency and accessibility, the new single-storey building brings office, workshop, and storage spaces together under one roof. It features level entry access for all visitors, ample on-site parking, and facilities tailored to the needs of a small team and field operations.
• Our central city building was too large for our six staff, expensive to maintain, and would have required significant investment to meet future building and earthquake standards.
• This new building is a better size for our needs, modern, and easier to manage.
• Environmental sustainability is also a key consideration. A rooftop solar power system will reduce emissions and operating costs, while supporting the organisation’s electric vehicle. Modern video conferencing tools will reduce the need for travel, and the Mosgiel location offers easier access to field operations in Central Otago and the south.

“The new base sets us up to deliver on our mission to anglers, hunters and habitat for years to come,” Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland says. “We’re looking forward to the move away from the central city and closer to the angling and hunting action and the resources they depend upon.”

Who we are, what we do

Game bird hunters sometimes ask “what does Fish & Game actually do?”

With proposed reforms on the horizon, Otago Fish & Game Council recently prepared an overview document for the Minister for Hunting and Fishing and our stakeholders.

• To gain a better understanding, you can download a copy of this document or simply view online by selecting here: 2025 Otago Fish & Game Council - Who We Are

Upper Lakes catchment action plan

Game bird hunters and anglers are encouraged to have a say in the Upper Lakes catchment action plan.

Otago Fish & Game has been involved in planning discussions with a wide-ranging group of community stakeholders for the Upper Lakes catchment.

• We've been a voice for hunters and anglers about the importance of recreational hunting and fishing in this catchment, and the public good and environmental benefits these activities support.
• Now’s your chance to comment on the proposed actions. To take part in a survey facilitated by the ORC, please click on this link: Upper Lakes
  
  

Shot of the season: Otago game bird photo competition

Ian Brown shared this photo, titled "Slow morning", of German wirehaired pointer Bree.

This fortnight’s “Shot of the Season” winner is Ian Brown, from Wanaka, for his photo of German wirehaired pointer Bree on a slow morning, looking expectantly into the foggy sky.

Each fortnight, we’ve selected one outstanding photo that captures the essence of game bird hunting in Otago. Each featured photographer is now in the running for our grand prize worth $250, generously sponsored by Dunedin Hunting & Fishing.

Thanks to everyone who has entered. The deadline for entries has closed.

The grand prize winner will be announced in our final 2025 edition of The Game Call on August 28.

Game bird recipe competition: put your wild kai to the test!

Jamie’s Air Fryer Whole Asian Fusion Mallard.

Every two weeks during hunting season, we’ve been offering a copy of The Fish + Game Cookbook for your most impressive game bird recipe.

Unfortunately, entries have been very slow. This is your final chance to win. Enter by Sunday, August 24. Simply submit:

• your name
• your recipe
• a photo of your prepared dish,
• a brief story about your hunt.
• Email to: otago@fishandgame.org.nz
• Subject line: Recipe competition
• Final entries must be received by Sunday, August 24.

Otago Fish & Game Operations Manager Jamie Ward shared this recipe:

Air Fryer Whole Asian Fusion Mallard

Air fryers are fantastic for cooking many things. They can cook very hot and quickly, which is good for lean meats. I had never tried duck in the air fryer but was keen to chase some crispy skin and moist tender meat with minimum fuss.

I was taught to keep my roast ducks moist, by using plenty of moist stuffing, so I banked on that.

Moist stuffing, salty crispy skin, no citrus, limited time and ingredients available to me lead to an Asian fusion style. This was made with gluten free bread and soy sauce, as I am a coeliac, but you can use any bread.

The duck turned out well, the skin was crispy, and the flavour penetrated through the meat, which remained moist. I cooked it for 50 minutes, but 45 would have done the job. Preparation to cooked only took an hour.

Stuffing

Made in a food processor.

• 3 crusts of bread well toasted and cooled, blend up fine.
• Add thyme, cumin seeds, coriander powder, Chinese five spice (1/2 – 1 teaspoon of each) and give a quick pulse to mix.
• Finely chop half an onion and 1-2 stalks of celery, add and blend to mix
• Add soy sauce and oil (1-2 tablespoons of each), a heaped teaspoon of ginger paste and pulse to mix
• Finally add and egg and pulse to mix again.

Marinade

Make a slurry with 2-3 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon each of cumin seeds and coriander powder and a shake of garlic salt (or garlic and salt if you have those.)

Cooking

• Generously coat the duck with the slurry. If you have time, you could leave it to marinate in the fridge.
• When ready to cook, spoon in the stuffing and truss the duck up
• Cook in air fryer at 180^oC for 40-50 minutes. Start with duck breast side down.
• Turn a few times during cooking every after 10-15 minutes. Turn breast side up to finish for 5-10 minutes to get crispy skin.
• Serve with rice and stir fry vegetables and don’t forget the stuffing.

Weather outlook

Wind forecast: 9am Saturday August 16, 2025. Credit: www.windy.com.

Wind forecast: 9am Sunday, August 17, 2025. Credit: www.windy.com.

Dunedin:

With sunset at 5.50pm, there’s more lingering light to get out and about. Tomorrow and Saturday should be fine with temps up to 16 deg C and westerlies, turning northerly.  Sunday a few showers, turning to rain in the afternoon.

Clutha Rural:

Partly cloudy tomorrow, clearing to fine by evening. Westerlies, strong in exposed places, easing in the afternoon. Saturday fine. North-westerlies. Sunday rain developing in the morning. Light winds.

Central Otago:

Tomorrow fine with morning frosts. North-westerlies. A breeze can help dogs with scenting upland game. Saturday fine. Northerlies becoming strong for a time in the afternoon and evening. Sunday rain developing in the morning. Light winds. 

Please note: This weather update is current at the time of publishing. We recommend checking the latest forecasts and road conditions before heading out. Click here for updates from MetService or Windy.com.

Take a mate hunting

Grab your hunting licence online and let the adventures begin.

Got any Otago game bird hunting news?

Send your hunting news and photos (with hunters’ names) to otago@fishandgame.org.nz for consideration in the Regional Hunting Report.