The first weekend of May every year is welcomed by the sound of gun shots as duck shooters wake early in order to endure hours cramped up in a mai mai with a few mates waiting for an unsuspecting duck or two to come within range.
It seems an odd pursuit for those who don't take part but there are a big number that do and many of the best spots for game bird hunting occur on private farmland.
The first couple of weekends are by far the most popular for hunters. A full-season licence must be obtained if hunters are intending to shoot in the first few weeks of the season. After that short-term licences can be issued. Fish and Game New Zealand administer the issuing of licences with the licence fees collected contributing significant income. There are a few licence exceptions for resident occupiers but most hunters require a current licence carried at all times.
There are daily limits placed on the number of ducks to be taken by each licence holder and these numbers vary depending on the species and may vary between regions. The duck shooting season finishes on July 1.
However, Federated Farmers would like to remind hunters that although they have obtained a licence it does not give them the right of access over private farmland and landowners' permission must be granted before any hunting on private land occurs.