Thread: Will 2017 be the last of lead in the sub-gauges

Leave the sub gauges alone please.

My view is that the large steel shot cartridges and the large semi-autos that go with them are unethical and detract from the ethos and traditions of wildfowl hunting.

All very well for Southland to pontificate. They have had and still have the most dense duck population in NZ. However, up here in Reporoa, which used to be world famous for its wildfowl hunting it is a fact that since the introduction of steel shot we are now devolving into a situation where F&G is mooting a total ban on duck shooting because the population is so low.

F&G and Waikato Regional Council also failed to make any significant attempt to support NZ Wildfowlers Assn and other wildfowlers in ensuring full protection of the upper Waikato river wetlands from the 13 ft ramping of the river proposed (and ultimately allowed) over a decade ago by Mighty River Power right from the RMA hearings which has resulted in the ruination of hundreds of acres of riverine wetland habitat by repeated flooding and drying of habitat, wetland, vegetation and nests.

The decline of duck and swan as well as bitterns, marsh crakes, banded rails, pukeko and grey / black duck, many associated swamp margin birds such as grey warbler and fern birds and groves of manuka and kanuka and other margin vegetation communities was all predicted and identified by NZ Wildfowlers Assn during the RMA hearings ( and I was a major author of those submissions) All these destructions were predicted as outcomes but ignored and or overridden by Sir Peter Tapsell and the submission hearings panel he chaired at the RMA consent hearings. WANZ felt very alone without the full backing and support of Waikato Regional Council and F&G at those hearings over a decade ago. Even DoC did next to nothing to support the wetlands.

Now WRC are increasing all our rates , supposedly to protect the upper Waikato catchment. What a crock of bullshit! They actually ABANDONED years ago, the original catchment protection rules such that they now have had no way of prosecuting land developers who cause mass siltation of the upper river and tributaries!

Now the Southlanders look like they are going even further along with the government to kill what is left of wildfowling in NZ.

Oh, buts its all OK folks, We''ll just blame duck hunters and lead shot. FFS.