Northland Hunting News April 11

Prospects Look Great for the 2011 Game Season

By Rudi Hoetjes
Manager

The 2011 Game bird hunting season is almost upon us and by now most hunters will be keenly awaiting opening day on the 7th May.

The prospects for the season look better than last year as a result of a wonderful breeding season with rain coming at the right time during the summer months to maintain growth on crops and pasture. These rains have also helped disperse waterfowl throughout the region and lessened any impacts they may have had on farms with reduced concentrations around major water bodies.

On farm properties, which have recently harvested their maize silage, hunters will find an abundance of ducks as they swoop in for their fill of maize left on the ground after the harvesters.

The Paradise shelduck populations in Northland have increased slightly since last season, which has seen Fish and Game New Zealand, Northland Region, increase the bag from last season up from 20 to 25 birds per day for the months of May, June and July.

Canada Geese and Black Swan numbers have remained about the same as previous years but the bags have been adjusted to have a common daily bag throughout the upper North Island.

Upland Game populations appear to have had an excellent breeding season following the 2009- 2010 drought resulting in a higher survival rate of birds through the winter months. This has assisted in a greater number of both pheasant and quail adult breeding birds and a higher number of chicks coming through into the 2011 game season.

The opportunities provided to hunters on opening morning are always somewhat dependant on what the weather on the day, however those hunters who have prepared themselves over the past month by making their hides and maimais blend into the environment will ultimately be successful no matter what the weather brings.

Fish & Game New Zealand has undertaken some major changes to the way it administers and issues fishing and hunting licences with an online internet solution.

Game bird hunters can apply and pay for their licences online and merely reconfirm their contact details if correct. All licence holders who purchase a licence online receive a plastic credit card size licence within seven days.

This year, retail agents around the Northland region can also go online within their business and sell fish and game licences. Licence holders who purchase their licence at the retail agent, will need to allow seven days to receive their plastic licence in the mail. A receipt will be issued at the time of purchase and you will need to keep this receipt until you receive your plastic licence. You must carry your receipt and a form of identification with you if you have not received your licence before the game season commences. Paper licences will still be on sale at the retail agents. Those people who wish to purchase their licences online are encouraged to do so early so you receive your plastic licence before opening weekend. Please do not leave purchasing your licence in the last week as you will NOT receive the plastic licence before opening weekend. To purchase your licence online go to www.fishandgame.org.nz

Northland Fish & Game has a considerable amount of information available to assist licence holders with places to hunt. This includes issuing permits to hunt on Fish & Game owned properties, Department of Conservation Lands, Forestry areas and some of Northlands Landcorp farms. Access brochures for hunting on all of Northlands major harbours and estuarine areas are available through the office and at licence agencies.

Fish and Game New Zealand is cautioning hunters and landowners against jumping the gun on Canada goose culls

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson earlier last month announced that Canada Geese are to be moved from schedule 1 to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act which will take away the protection status of the birds.

This announcement has left both hunters and landowners confused about the current status of the Canada geese. Canada Geese are still protected as a game bird and fall under the management of Fish and Game until such time as the minister’s decision becomes law.
While the minister has signed her intent to remove the protection of Canada Geese the law has not yet been changed so shooting of Canada Geese out of season or with unspecified shot of firearms is illegal.

Fish and Game has not been notified about when the law change will occur however the Department of Conservation states …”the change in status is expected in two to three months’ time”.

This means that the 2011 regulations and season for hunting Canada Geese still apply and hunters must adhere to these until the Minister advises the listing on Schedule 5 as unprotected species is law.