No change to Far North duck season

Northland duck hunters have been assured that there has been no reduction in the length of the season for mallards that will begin on Saturday, May 3.

Northland Fish and Game manager Rudi Hoetjes said a media report has unfortunately created some confusion for a number of hunters in the Far North. That report actually referred to the Eastern Fish and Game region where there was to be a very short season, not Northland.

"That wasn't clear enough to readers," Mr Hoetjes said.

"Our mallard and grey season is exactly the same as last year, running for eight weeks from May 3 to June 29.

"We can put hunters' minds at rest - they're getting the same opportunities to hunt over this period, with the same bag limits of 15 mallards or greys, and three shoveler duck."

Mr Hoetjes urged hunters, as always, to buy a game bird licence and make themselves familiar with the regulations in the game bird hunting booklet.

One minor change had been made for the coming season, however. The quail season would close earlier in Area A (north of a line running east/west north of the Whangape Harbour, then along the main ridgeline of the Maungataniwha Range and out to and including all lands north of Whangaroa Harbour) to align it with the cut-off date for pheasants. No other changes had been made to season lengths or daily bag limits for waterfowl or other upland game birds.

"We welcome calls to our office from anyone who still has any concerns about season lengths or any other regulations," he added.

"Fish and Game officers are happy to advise hunters on where they can shoot, how to apply for any permits, and put them straight on any other issues they might have."

Seasons and daily bag limits in Northland will be as follows.

Grey/mallard duck and any hybrid of that species - May 3 to June 29, bag limit 15. Shoveler duck - May 3 to June 29, bag limit three. Grey, mallard and shoveler duck bag limit 15 (including hybrids).

Paradise shelduck - May 3 to August 3, bag limit 20; February 21-22, 2015, bag limit 20.

Black swan - May 3 to August 3, bag limit 15.

Pukeko - May 3 to August 31, bag limit 12; February 21 to March 1, 2015, bag limit 12.

California and brown quail: Area A - May 3 to August 3, bag limit 10; other areas May 3 to August 31, bag limit 10.

Cock pheasant: Area A - May 4 to August 3, bag limit five. Other areas - May 4 to August 31, bag limit five.

Shooting hours - 6.30am to 6.30pm, except for paradise shelduck on February 21-22 next year, 6am to 8pm; pukeko (February 21 to March 1 next year) 6am to 8pm.

There will be no limit to decoys.

No person shall wilfully leave on the hunting ground any game bird(s) shot or parts of any game bird(s) shot. Shooters may hunt/kill game from an unmoored camouflaged rowboat.

Hunting will be prohibited within 300 metres of any urban sewage oxidation ponds during the special two-day seasons for paradise ducks and pukeko in February 2015.