Thread: Opening 2022

We had thick fog until 9.30am opening morning, but still managed 3 limits on Parries and 2 of 3 limits on Mallards by 11am, so we were pretty happy with that.

Was a different shoot this year with pine block that surrounds the pond having been felled over summer making for different approach angles by ducks than previous 20 years.

My youngest boy came down to pond for a morning tea visit too, which was great. Meant we had 3 generations of family down at maimai. Both my boys are showing interest in the outdoors, so hoping to nurture that to its full extent.

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Originally Posted by Bryan

We had thick fog until 9.30am opening morning, but still managed 3 limits on Parries and 2 of 3 limits on Mallards by 11am, so we were pretty happy with that.

Was a different shoot this year with pine block that surrounds the pond having been felled over summer making for different approach angles by ducks than previous 20 years.

My youngest boy came down to pond for a morning tea visit too, which was great. Meant we had 3 generations of family down at maimai. Both my boys are showing interest in the outdoors, so hoping to nurture that to its full extent.

Sent from my SM-A536E using Tapatalk

Always like to see father & son going out. I do `t have a boy or girl, but I can feel it when I see photos. Looking forward to you guys duck cooking pictures.

Most of you shot more birds than I saw. Thick fog could not see the 40m decoys lifted around 11 oclock. 1 parra came out of the fog around 9ish. Dont know who was more surprised him or me, grabbed the gun and gave a spray and prey complete miss. As the fog started to clear a lonesome mallard came over high and 1 shot gave me my tally for the day. A few birds came over the pond later high in the stratosphere. Opposite end of the pond 2 guys got into the geese that had swam over to there spot. then spent the next hour chasing wounded geese. said they had 5 ducks and 6 geese which I doubt by the number of shots fired. Sunday fog again but not so bad and a flock of geese around 8 came over the top from behind 3 taken 2 needing a quick follow up to finish them off. ! other opportunity gave me my 1 duck for the day. Going down to the clay club has certainly improved my shotgun skills.

FFN in the mangroves. dont know why really but decided to only shoot green heads. 6 of them and a hen that got in the way by about mid day.
Still had birds flying while I was picking up the decoys-could have shot more I suppose but its shallow where I shoot and I cant be arsed plucking too many ducks.
When I get a plucker things will change!!

The shooters on the eastern side of the harbour have seemed to do better the last few years from the shooting I have heard-but romours of shag shooters hahaha.

Mates tried to hide a 6.1m alloy boat-dont think it worked out for them-0 for 2 days, about 1km away from me.

still had a ball-love working the ducks more than shooting them to be honest, but they do taste good!

Originally Posted by dannyb

Birds must be somewhere else then ? My mate from Hokitika had his best opening weekend in memory and he's been shooting for quite a lot of years. Sorry your weekend wasn't better.

Spoke to a local farmer and even he commented that the days of seeing ducklings in the drains and culverts are a few years back, there are a couple of other lakes around where we shoot and even they fell a bit quiet early, but again it was great seeing 2-3 new shooters joining in on the lake, and its always good to get out and enjoy the challenge

Best opening for us so far. Managed to get our limit of 50 mallards and 4 spoonies on Saturday with a bonus pair of parries that we never normally get and a ferret. Then another 34 mallards and 4 spoonies on Sunday. Just in a small un fed bit of water on the Clutha river.

This is pro works. It `s good to see it.

Sorry been busy running around trying to fit it all in before I fly out on Monday.
So opening morning saw 3 generations shooting from 14 to 92. I’m not the 92!! He is my mentor and showed me how it’s one back when I first picked up a shotgun. So very special to have another opening weekend with him.
I also started training up a young black lab that got his first two retrieves.
Ducks flew fine 23 opening day and 15 Sunday 4 on Monday morning was looking up at some incoming when a sitter of a pheasant went across the middle of the pond.
Not sure what’s up but can post any pics sorry.

We had one of the quietest opening weekends ever. Very few birds flying, blue skies and not even a breeze.
I think it was about 10:30 before i claimed my 1st duck, a full speed crosser at 45 to 50 m, very dead.
Everyone had a great time though.
And we all agreed that the 10 minutes spent duck plucking was pretty awesome to be honest

Shooting the swamp this morning. Mangaged 5 ducks for 7 shots on bismuth thru the old sxs. Such a hoot hitting them with the old gun.

A quick semi-related question..
Is bismuth okay to use in older shotguns that can't shoot steel shot?

Yes. I used bismuth in my 81 year old beretta s2 without issue. Was falcon #4 bismuth. Steel barrels. NOT DAMASCUS.

Here you go @Cigar
Have a read through this. https://basc.org.uk/lead/guide-to-using-non-lead-shot/
The blue bit at the bottom is what’s is best to pay attention to.
Also it should state on the side of the ammo box what types of steel is used in the shot.

Sure is fine for old guns. I'm using my 1956 Stevens 311a. Of note it is smashing the ducks up a bit..maybe due to the choking of the gun. Shooting reloads atm. Haven't opened the Falcon box yet.