Duck hunters are in for a quacker
Good duck numbers and a change in the weather could combine to make the opening day of the duck hunting season ‘‘one out of the box’’ in Southland.
Southland Fish & Game field officer Cohen Stewart said duck counts carried out on waterways in the province in March showed numbers were consistent with last season, and a forecast change to cloudy, windy weather could favour hunters, rather than the ducks.
‘‘It might be one out of the box if the barbecue-type weather we’ve been having changes. We’re expecting a very good season,’’ he said.
Southland’s drought meant water levels were low, but there were good numbers of ducks observed on rivers when Fish and Game did its aerial counts in March.
‘‘We got rain right when we needed it in September when ducklings hatched, which created puddles in paddocks. They’re very important for ducklings because they provide good food, so there are good numbers of ducks about. We’re pretty happy with how things are looking.’’
The Metservice rural forecast for Southland was for a fine morning today, with cloud increasing and scattered light rain developing in the evening, and northerly winds.
Tomorrow, scattered rain would clear in the afternoon, and the wind would change to the west before dying out.
‘‘The cloud and the wind should keep ducks low,’’ Stewart said.
Lines of eager hunters snaked through the aisles of Hunting & Fishing Invercargill yesterday morning.
Hunting & Fishing Invercargill manager Gerald McRae said it had been challenging to get enough stock in, but customers had been understanding of shortages across the range.
‘‘People seem to be more excited than ever, it’s a whole lot easier to move around with less restrictions . . . We’ve had the odd person from Australia, and a few from the North Island. People are excited to catch up with mates they haven’t seen for years as well as the shooting,’’ he said.
Because of the warm and sunny weather forecast for today, the most popular sales item had been decoy movement ducks.
H & J Smith Outdoor World manager Michael Matheson said ammunition had been in short supply this year, but overall business at the store had been steady.
Face-paint, decoys, new shotguns and shells had been the top purchased products in the lead-up to the start of the season, he said.
‘‘It’s been quite a busy season since the start of the roar over a month ago . . . we’re expecting a quiet day tomorrow,’’ he said.
Southern Adventure assistant manager Rebecca Gorton said some camouflage gear had sold out last weekend, but the store had managed to get stock back in yesterday.
‘‘People aren’t opting for warm woolly hats with this weather . . . there’s been quite a lot of neck gaiters and that kind of thing . . . it should be a good day for them,’’ she said.
Federated Farmers vice-president and health and safety spokesperson Karen Williams said there had been changes to the Arms Act which meant there were new rules for transporting firearms on the road. ‘‘There is a general exemption from
the transportation requirements for farmers working, actively hunting or undertaking pest control on their own farm, but you are required to meet the new requirements if shooting elsewhere for the weekend and so are the recreational hunters travelling out to
shoot at your place.’’
When transported on the road firearms need to be inoperable, out of sight and away from any ammunition. If you can’t easily dismantle the firearm and store a vital piece somewhere else, a trigger lock (which could include your bike lock) or putting it in a locked gun box will meet the requirements.
Ammunition should be locked in the glovebox if possible, but for big bulky boxes of shotgun ammunition, out of sight and away from the firearm will meet the requirements, she said.