Peg maimai or lose it, hunters told
Bird hunters in Southland and Otago are being reminded to peg or claim their maimai, stand or hide before 10am tomorrow or they could lose it.
Fish and Game South Island communications adviser Andrew Currie said pegging a favourite maimai on public land could give a hunter the best chance to harvest birds during the opening weekend of hunting and the rest of the season.
For a hunter to reclaim their spot for the upcoming season they would first need to buy a 2013-14 game bird licence containing a claim tag.
A hunter who had tagged or pegged the maimai has the ‘‘first rights’’ to occupy it within only the first hour of hunting on any day during the season, Mr Currie said.
If the stand claimant had not arrived during the first hour the maimai could be used by any ot- her licensed hunter for the rest of the day, he said.
A new maimai should not be constructed within 90 metres of an existing one unless invited closer, and all maimai should be sited to minimise the risk to hunter safety, he said.
Opening weekend was scheduled for May 4 and the season ran until July 28 in the South Island for mallards.
Hunters should check regional regulations for variations to species and bag limits, Mr Currie said.
On the first day of the season, hunters could not begin shooting before 6.45am in Central South Island and North Canterbury, and 7am in Otago and Southland Fish and Game regions.
Mr Currie also reminded gamebird hunters to hunt safely and ethically and leave the alcohol until after the guns were put away.