Waikato News

I am really surprised at how many people feel put out by the decisions of A/W F&G council. We accept that the population is in severe decline yet we don't want to do anything about it. Should we keep plundering an ailing resource pretending there is not a problem?

I think A/W have been brave in making a couple of big calls that "may" help the resource. From my perspective steel shot and the allowance of unpinned auto's has had a dramatic effect on the population, together they are a burden on our resource in the hands of most hunters.

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Originally Posted by Tim Allen

I am really surprised at how many people feel put out by the decisions of A/W F&G council. We accept that the population is in severe decline yet we don't want to do anything about it. Should we keep plundering an ailing resource pretending there is not a problem?

I think A/W have been brave in making a couple of big calls that "may" help the resource. From my perspective steel shot and the allowance of unpinned auto's has had a dramatic effect on the population, together they are a burden on our resource in the hands of most hunters.

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No problem with that but half the hunting time half the license fees ?? Would you go buy half a pizza for full price ? Or maybe one gumboot ? So there are other issues as well combine that with the fact they underpatrol some areas and people get away with merry hell

Do your bit and be come a Ranger, or a F/G Councillor then, rather than just winge about it, get active and volunteer, do somthing about it. You will be surprised how rewarding it can, be by putting something back into your sport. Obviously F/G need more STASI'S.

But I can't be a ranger and go looking for naughty guys when I want to shoot

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Originally Posted by Happy

No problem with that but half the hunting time half the license fees ?? Would you go buy half a pizza for full price ? Or maybe one gumboot ? So there are other issues as well combine that with the fact they underpatrol some areas and people get away with merry hell

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Yes they are generally disinterested in policing the sport. Generally the worth of ranging effort relates to license checks in a season and a % compliance. The best time to do this is opening day on ponds close to roads with multiple shooters. They get checked every year nearly, which keeps the compliance figures looking great..... ( I don't seek to detract from the voluntary guys that do what they do for the love of the sport- though some probably weren't accepted to Traffic Cop school :D )

Would I buy half a pizza for the full price? No, but I have a choice there. To stay lawful I need to buy a game license. It's less than half really anyway. We lost geese as a gamebird also remember.

The resource is in the state it is in now and we need to seek remedy for that.

I love the opportunity to hunt so I do feel for you guys with a shorter season. I would happily stop at 4 birds if it meant I could hunt for 8 weeks. The trouble is that for most those four birds cost the lives of others 6 (give or take)with steel and auto's.

Same here as well and with heaps of time blood sweat and tears not to mention money invested in creating ponds and planting stuff I want to shoot as well GA good on you for all of your hard work. I have no,problems with the front liners you won't catch me breaking the rules or the guys with me as we don't. Have always had friendly encounters with the ranger as have nothing to hide . You can't expect to cut a season in half and charge full price surely ? It's not on , half game of rugby anyone ?

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Originally Posted by Tim Allen

The resource is in the state it is in now and we need to seek remedy for that.

I love the opportunity to hunt so I do feel for you guys with a shorter season. I would happily stop at 4 birds if it meant I could hunt for 8 weeks. The trouble is that for most those four birds cost the lives of others 6 (give or take)with steel and auto's.

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So Tim why are they not working to fix this problem cos it ain't going to fix itself. Cut the season down to opening weekend or one day
Off topic do you write for some mags ? If so enjoy your articles if not sorry

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Originally Posted by Happy

Same here as well and with heaps of time blood sweat and tears not to mention money invested in creating ponds and planting stuff I want to shoot as well GA good on you for all of your hard work. I have no,problems with the front liners you won't catch me breaking the rules or the guys with me as we don't. Have always had friendly encounters with the ranger as have nothing to hide . You can't expect to cut a season in half and charge full price surely ? It's not on , half game of rugby anyone ?

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I have never seen a ranger and like you would have no problem if I did. But like you full licence fees half seasons and not seeing anything but declining numbers is shit house.

Totaly agree with less birds on opening to give us more shooting days 100% agree with this. Sadly the majority of shooters want it all in one weekend and hardly bother going out after opening. Week nites after work, a quite pond close to home. Myself and daughter plus the dogs, Magic even when we get nothing. Cheaper to buy chooks at the super market, but then filling our freezers isn't the only reason we hunt, well me any way.

I didn't much last year and only missed about 8 days all up in the season. most nights I got nothing but I loved floating back down the river in the dark on my kayak

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Originally Posted by Happy

So Tim why are they not working to fix this problem cos it ain't going to fix itself. Cut the season down to opening weekend or one day
Off topic do you write for some mags ? If so enjoy your articles if not sorry

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You'll have a bit of a giggle at me next issue then I'm sure! Cheers Happy

There are some guys who really are interested in fixing the problem, they are just outnumbered with people who are motivated by other things.

I love your attitude displayed in post 40 Toby. You don't have to be killing heaps to enjoy hunting. Some of the most memorable things don't relate to killing.

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Originally Posted by Tim Allen

I am really surprised at how many people feel put out by the decisions of A/W F&G council. We accept that the population is in severe decline yet we don't want to do anything about it. Should we keep plundering an ailing resource pretending there is not a problem?

I think A/W have been brave in making a couple of big calls that "may" help the resource. From my perspective steel shot and the allowance of unpinned auto's has had a dramatic effect on the population, together they are a burden on our resource in the hands of most hunters.

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Tim I think the issue here is that many hunters feel that the A/W changes for this season are really just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and will have little if any affect on the duck population in the region.
The nub of the issue remains that over the past 20 years A/W has done a very poor job of understanding the resource which it manages - in reality there has been no research.
In addition A/W has not properly communicated with licence holders, and has resorted to some "orchestrated" hunting survey feedback and local club remits to provide support for its position.
Until recently I have never heard any suggestion that the duck population in A/W was at a critical level or that hunting harvest was having a significant impact. Even now this information is not coming from the Council.

It seems clear that hunting harvests have declined over the last 15 years in particular - the same time period in which we have had unpinned semi autos; robo duck decoys and increased pond feeding. Obvioulsy these new tools cannot have not been the cause of the duck population decline. What confidence can hunters have then that the changes this season will have any positive impact on the population - it may be that the horse has already bolted!

From my perspective the frustration being expressed is not a lack of support for changes which could positively impact on the duck pop, its more another vote of no confidence in the small cabal of councillors who have been on the A/W Council for 20 odd years and have presided over the decline in the duck population.
IMHO the changes for the 2013 season will result in a significant decline in licence sales which will have long term financial consequences for F&G management.

Im having a little exchange with AWFG at the moment regarding simply licence fees for the reduced period. Its not political simply posed a question or two ..

I got a huge email back full of remits reasons etc but not interested in politucal debate with them. Shes actually a nice lady but Id like a reply on the financial side.

Hi Robyn

Thats all fine and we could debate things in your email for weeks without getting any where closer to deciding why population has declined.
.
Below is what I disagree with and ask for justification of it is purely the monetary side. Here I am in the circle of dabbling duck hunters so have a little feel for the way things are being discussed in my home town at least.
Most are not impressed. They d probably be happy to be told for the good of your sport reduced bags or seasons blah blah blah and so we are reducing your licence fees to show our support but oh no.
Its like a slap and thinking whoaa are they thinking we are silly or something. We d all like to perform half a job and get full job pays.

The fact that on your website it tells us the following

Species
Season Duration (dates inclusive)
Daily Bag Limit
Hunting Area

Grey/mallard duck and any hybrid of those species
4 May to 2 Jun 2013


This equals a total of 30 days shooting available . Historically our season has been for

Species
Season Duration (dates inclusive)
Daily Bag Limit
Hunting Area

Grey/mallard duck
4 May to 30 Jun 2013


This equals 58 hunting days available.

So effectively you are asking us to pay for 58 days and allowing only 30. At your fee of $90.00 for the period (which is probably all that 90% of shooters actually use) this equates to $1.55 per day. This 90 % will now only be allowed to shoot danbbling ducks for 30 days. Therefore fairly we should be paying only $46.50 for the priveledge to do so.

Taking the additional $43.50 is robbery.I do not think your shooters will be happy with this and have already stated yes maybe the season does need to be shorter due to the lack of ducks

Bottom line this is not right. If there is to be shorter season allowed then shorten the fee accordingly. Maybe you create a dabbling duck licence or sell a 30 day licence to the 90 %. We are taking some pain so shouldnt you guys ?

I have heard lots of people comment why bother getting a licence when you re treated this way ?

Thanks for your time... Regards Blah Blah Blah

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Originally Posted by Gapped axe

Hmm had a feeling it was cheap shot. I'm one of the gentlemen who offer's my spare time (not that there is a lot of it) on a Voluntary basis, so that the public who pay for their licences......................

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Well done. However, please note ,I did say......."But I'm sure some of them are the nice guy that you would like your daughter to marry.".

Now, your turn, Would you like to declare that every one of you "gentlemen" is as civic minded, upright, humanity filled, virtuous open minded, honest and as philanthropic as you?........AND NO, I am not taking the wee wee.

It is for at least one such as you which I knew existed, I added the final paragraph to my post................And as an aside, I don't shoot ducks, never have shot ducks and never will.

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Originally Posted by Fitzy

Tim I think the issue here is that many hunters feel that the A/W changes for this season are really just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and will have little if any affect on the duck population in the region.
The nub of the issue remains that over the past 20 years A/W has done a very poor job of understanding the resource which it manages - in reality there has been no research.
In addition A/W has not properly communicated with licence holders, and has resorted to some "orchestrated" hunting survey feedback and local club remits to provide support for its position.
Until recently I have never heard any suggestion that the duck population in A/W was at a critical level or that hunting harvest was having a significant impact. Even now this information is not coming from the Council.

It seems clear that hunting harvests have declined over the last 15 years in particular - the same time period in which we have had unpinned semi autos; robo duck decoys and increased pond feeding. Obvioulsy these new tools cannot have not been the cause of the duck population decline. What confidence can hunters have then that the changes this season will have any positive impact on the population - it may be that the horse has already bolted!

From my perspective the frustration being expressed is not a lack of support for changes which could positively impact on the duck pop, its more another vote of no confidence in the small cabal of councillors who have been on the A/W Council for 20 odd years and have presided over the decline in the duck population.
IMHO the changes for the 2013 season will result in a significant decline in licence sales which will have long term financial consequences for F&G management.

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I can't disagree with you. I am not suggesting the measures taken are going to work either, just that they are trying. Management sometimes requires big calls. It would be nice to know those big calls will work.

Are you saying figures have been manipulated to show mallards are declining or you are happy with the fact they are declining but don't feel modern hunting techniques have anything to do with the depleted resource?