A SLOW START AHEAD, BUT PITCH IN TO PREPARE
Goose season is now only weeks away. Many hunters who took the opportunity to buy a fiveyear waterfowl-hunting permit will have received a letter from NT Parks and Wildlife outlining the conditions of the permit.
Nothing much new here, although some of the buffer no-shooting zones around the hunting reserves have been enlarged slightly.
Please check the maps that accompany the letter and familiarise yourself. NT Parks and Wildlife have been conducting an education program for the past two years about these areas, but this year infringement notices could well be issued.
Unless we get biblical levels of rainfall in the next fortnight over the hunting reserves we are in for a very disappointing Opening Day.
The only reserve that has any water is a small area of Beatrice Lagoon at Harrison Dam. This won’t cater for the 2500 hunters whatsoever. I will probably take the opportunity to sleep in on October 1 rather than run the gauntlet of shoulder-to-shoulder hunting.
Firebreak levy banks at Harrison Dam have done their best to hold water, but with evaporation rates of 25mm per day, nothing much will last.
The new sluice gates installed at Lambell’s Lagoon will double the size of that waterbody when it rains again. Please do not drive on that levy bank or upon the wall at Harrison.
These banks are fragile and traffic will affect the integrity of the earthen walls.
Concrete blocks and large rocks have been placed to block the pathway for vehicles. Please abide by this traffic management and protect our wetlands.
NT Field and Game is holding a working bee at Harrison Dam today, September 18. We will be spraying mimosa and olive hymenachne from quads and utes.
It will be a great family day and lunch will be provided. Please join us at the Fogg Dam Ranger Station at 9am.
Next Sunday, September 25, NT Field and Game is holding its Goose Fever Expo in conjunction with a novelty clay target shoot.
Parks and Wildlife will be present in the morning selling permits, along with the gun and camping shops selling all the good gear.
Come and join in the fun at the Micket Creek Shooting Complex, Brandt Road, Berrimah from 8am.