Thread: No Duck Shooting 2020

true that BUT....as a heck of a lot of folks ONLY shoot the first one or maybe two days of season...and those who do continue to shoot are more likely to be drake selective...it shouldnt be so bad... heck we see the drake rape flocks here every year...poor hens dont get a chance to look after ducklings when they are continually being pounced on and bonked.
funny wee aside...there was a hen bowled by a car outside our work...she was rightside up....the drakes kept flocking in to her and the ground around her was stomped to mud....mallardnechrophillia at its finest.
Ive seen mobs of drakes harrassing hens andthe ducklings getting harrassed by hawks as Mum couldnt get over to protect them.....a drake only season in july would be feasible.

Season used to always go into Late June and early July. Can’t see it having a negative impact on the breeding season at all.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Season used to always go into Late June and early July. Can’t see it having a negative impact on the breeding season at all.

Well I brought my licence yesterday....................for the few quail and the odd pheasant I shoot. (@ Gapped Axe; ) For me its about seeing the dogs work so I could really do that without a licence but its always nice to get one pheasant for the season for the pot.

Would be really nice to see a NZ Hunter game-bird episode on walked up or rough shooting just for something different (especially using pointing dogs)
;D

If the season starts late ( which it will ) those that are concerned it will impact the breeding season by continuing later, could always just not shoot as the season progresses. Just because you can doesnt mean you have to.

Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Season used to always go into Late June and early July. Can’t see it having a negative impact on the breeding season at all.

Good point,I remember the Waikato season was till end of July and bag limits were higher as well as bird numbers,since steel shot has come into play there has been a steady decrease of birds in my area..

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

true that BUT....as a heck of a lot of folks ONLY shoot the first one or maybe two days of season...and those who do continue to shoot are more likely to be drake selective...it shouldnt be so bad... heck we see the drake rape flocks here every year...poor hens dont get a chance to look after ducklings when they are continually being pounced on and bonked.
funny wee aside...there was a hen bowled by a car outside our work...she was rightside up....the drakes kept flocking in to her and the ground around her was stomped to mud....mallardnechrophillia at its finest.
Ive seen mobs of drakes harrassing hens andthe ducklings getting harrassed by hawks as Mum couldnt get over to protect them.....a drake only season in july would be feasible.

@Micky Duck I am hearing you there. I went out opening weekend and fired 2 shots-and shouldn't have. Only did that because I didn't want to go the day without firing at something even if it was too far away. Then never managed going out for the rest of the season-no-one to blame but myself there though.
From that result I am considering not buying a license this year. Have to get out a lot more to justify it. Me and the lad x2 is a lot of coin if you don't go out
Also don't even know at the moment if opening lines up with my roster. Might be a very easy decision

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

true that BUT....as a heck of a lot of folks ONLY shoot the first one or maybe two days of season...and those who do continue to shoot are more likely to be drake selective...it shouldnt be so bad... heck we see the drake rape flocks here every year...poor hens dont get a chance to look after ducklings when they are continually being pounced on and bonked.
funny wee aside...there was a hen bowled by a car outside our work...she was rightside up....the drakes kept flocking in to her and the ground around her was stomped to mud....mallardnechrophillia at its finest.
Ive seen mobs of drakes harrassing hens andthe ducklings getting harrassed by hawks as Mum couldnt get over to protect them.....a drake only season in july would be feasible.

this llmake you laugh .working in greymouth -grey hospital .now anyone whose been there a few times knows thewres a couple of ponds between the front of the hospital and the airdrome /stjohns/rescue chopper base.opening day -iwas on day shift aso no go ,but anyhow in my lucnhbreak i tooles off down the road in the car -yup pond is packed .watching a mob of hens -about five ratling round ....out of the blue like a bloody f18 comes a 3/4grown horny drake into on gettin his end away.he landed atop the smallest hen and bugger me the sisters struck back -in they went like a crusaders forward pack into the ruck and under he went .that water fair boiled as heads surfaced for a gulp of air .about 20secs late he exited the foamand climbed skywards like an atomic missile gruntin his guts out . he was still shakin when he left my filed of vision.
the ladies -shake of the feathers .quick check and domestic bliss ensues-left me with a smile on me dial for the rest of the day.
incidentally the first duck I ever shot was a mallard drake flying chocka up an old parries hen and obviously intent on getting it .what he got was a sizeable lead blowjob which saw him hit the paddock and roll 3 times .on getting to him he'd hit the deck so hard hed broken his neck!
that was at kokatahi outta hoki .great place to shot -you could trace the flight of the birds by the echoes of the shotties comin down the valley toward you!!
I know post earthquake duck populations and behaviour have been radically altered ,in fact my best opening tally was 2 yrs ago on the coast on a farm -3birds in 30mins.
Ive never been able to shoot a great tally anyhow ,but what i do shoot i love eating .Ive also occasionally had the pleasure of introducing firends to the ownders of wild fowl on the plate.

I could give a fuck if we lose a month here .
Christ we have 3 for ducks anyway and the rest of august for upland.
but yes I,l buy the licence when I know whats going on and I get renewed.

Waikato season has only been a month long for about the last decade..

Originally Posted by The bomb

Waikato season has only been a month long for about the last decade..

come on down...the water is colder than the waikato...and the birds might not be mud fat but there is a heap of shooting to be had if you get out.....

Over 80% of duck mortality is not from hunters.

I see more squashed on the roads than ever get shot by me!!

Water quality of the lakes I hunt is the issue in my area,no more food in the lakes for the birds solely resting area for them now,after a couple of weekends getting shot at they head to quieter places.used to have good night shoots as the birds came in to feed on the weed but no more..

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Mortality of mature birds?

Starvation and botulism, giving this latest weather trend I would oNly expect this number to increase

this could be the kick start bird numbers need.
a month or more headstart for the firt season birds that usually pay the highest price could be just what we need.