Wellington Game Bird Hunting Bulletin - 11 June 2020

Get In Early For Best Hunting 

June 11, 2020 

Wings spinning on decoy as a southerly front approaches right on dusk (Copyright Hamish Carnachan)

If you can pull off an early leave pass from work tomorrow, hunters in the Wairarapa and Manawatu are bound to get some great shooting.

A big wind shift is coming, with nor-westerlies tipped to turn strong southerly early afternoon in Wairarapa. The southerly change will obviously arrive a little later further north.

This will certainly stir the ducks up though and hunters who are in position early should get some great late afternoon, early evening shooting.

For those stuck at the grindstone, don’t despair – early Saturday morning should produce some good hunting too.

The southerly will still be gusting and combined with the squally rain further upcountry the ducks should be on the wing.

So, the message is get out early this weekend if you can – the great hunting we've already experienced this season will continue while the weather’s rough but it will slow as conditions settled on Sunday.     

Grab your licence and make sure you get out on the water. 

Be sure to get out this weekend because the ducks are certainly there for the taking! Get into them.

Weather Outlook

Click here for updated weather information from MetService.

Reader Hunting Photos

 Thanks to everyone who sent in their hunting images last week! 

It was awesome to see so many families and young ones out enjoying their hunting. And going by the pics it looks like everyone is having a pretty successful season too. 

This week we thought the Monk family of Alfredton really captured the spirit of camaraderie that is such an awesome aspect of our pursuit. 

Please keep your great hunting pics coming. You can email them through or get in touch on the phone (06-359-0409) and we’ll let you know how best to get them to us.

If you don't have pics but just want to let us know how your season is going , or ask us a question, please feel free to get in touch.

Tips For Decoy-Shy Ducks

No maimai - just good cover and camo is enough to do the job here (Copyright Hamish Carnachan)

Following Opening Weekend you'll no doubt find that ducks very quickly become wary of structures. 

The birds quickly associate maimais and man-made structures with danger, and in all but the worst weather they will stay well out of range, circling high and then finally landing well away.

Even on large open waters you see flight paths that stay well clear of maimais.

Hunters can lure birds in closer but it is hard work and, while unavoidable in open water areas, shooting from a maimai is just not necessary.

My most successful hunts after Opening have been simple affairs - shooting from good cover like willows or log-jams with only a couple of decoys.

The key is to select spots that have vegetation which prevents you being sky-lined, but at the same time provides good visibility and a clear swing for your gun.

If there isn't natural cover, make it. Use what's around you - a makeshift hide can be fashioned from debris and foliage at a given location in short order. 

What's still crucial is the quality of the camo you wear. I've taken to wearing the top portion of a Ghillie suit when shooting outside of maimais to further break up my outline. These suits are readily available and can be purchased cheap at Army surplus stores. 

While shooting away from maimais can be a little more uncomfortable during bad weather, your success rate will almost certainly increase if you get your positioning and natural cover right.           

 - By Fish & Game officer Hamish Carnachan.

Noticeboard

Lake Wairarapa hunting stands

Lake Wairarapa Hunters are reminded that we need photos of their maimais as requested.

Please email these into us with your stand number and, if possible, GPS coordinates.
Thanks to those hunters who have already been in contact.

JK Donald Block Access

Access to the JK Donald block will be disrupted from the start of next week, Monday, June 15, while the bridge across the Otakura Stream is replaced. The work is expected to take between seven to 10 days. 

Anyone whose hunting plans may be affected should contact Wellington Fish & Game and we'll put you in touch with the landowner who may be able to facilitate alternative route to the JK Donald block.   

Pheasant Hunting Opens At Santoft Forest

Upland game hunting is now available in the Ernslaw Santoft and Waitarere forests in Manawatu.

You must apply to Wellington Fish & Game by email or phone (06-3590409), and we’ll issue you a permit, maps of open areas, and advise you of other requirements for hunting in the forest.

We emphasize that you must have a hunting permit and stick to the designated hunting areas. Anyone who fails to meet these requirements will be trespassed. 

Hunting in the forests is a privilege. Please make sure you meet your obligations so we can continue to have upland game hunting at these sites.    

Don’t Forget Those Bird Bands

Please get band details into us for any birds you’ve harvested carrying this precious metal.

By all means, keep the band, but the details are really important for us in terms of providing information we use for the management of mallards in the lower North Island.

Band info can be emailed to us or use the free-phone number 0800 BIRD BAND.