Last chance to bag a mallard.. or two

This weekend is the last chance for duck hunters to bag a few Mallards before the 2011 season ends.

While some hunters reported tough times with lower duck bags over opening weekend, Otago Fish & Game Operations Manager Ian Hadland says active hunters out since then have been more successful, especially in the Taieri River and Lower Clutha.

There was a lot of standing grain crops that were harvested late or left for stock food and these have been supurb shooting throughout the season. There are still plenty of ducks out there so it’s well worth a look”.

Fish & Game officers in the Maniototo last week also noted that many of the unfrozen farm ponds and the river had plenty of birds present – some mobs several hundred birds strong.

“These ducks looked settled, which can easily happen when hunter pressure lightens during the mid part of the season. So the rewards will be there for observant hunters, even at this late stage. It’s a good opportunity to get out” says Mr Hadland.

The last weekend of the season is generally seen as the last big effort by hunters. Having more duckhunters out helps keeps birds in circulation and is thought to improve success rates.

“Closing weekend falls right at the end of the school holidays so it’s a perfect time to gather up the kids from in front of the TV, rug them up warm and get them into the great outdoors”

While this weekend signals the close of the main duck hunting season in the Otago Fish & Game Region, hunters can continue to pursue Paradise Shelduck, Black Swan and Quail until the 28th August.