Thread: Worst season ever? Or just the weather?

Many people I have talked to (Hawkes Bay) seems to have had a terrible opening moring duck shoot with little ducks if any; someone even saying they were conservationists. Me and my mate had good success, how did everyone else get on?

Yeah same generally down here in Southland. Most saw less birds that other years. We had one hell of a dry spring and summer which will have had a big effect on it. F&G quoted lower numbers than previous years following their counts pre season, and we just didnt see the same sort of numbers in our day to day travelling around the region, so were kind of expecting it.

Originally Posted by JoshC

Yeah same generally down here in Southland. Most saw less birds that other years. We had one hell of a dry spring and summer which will have had a big effect on it. F&G quoted lower numbers than previous years following their counts pre season, and we just didnt see the same sort of numbers in our day to day travelling around the region, so were kind of expecting it.

We had a dry spring for the coast as well however we had the best opening for 3 years. But that's not saying much.
Numbers are definitely down on what they used to be.

Have been scouting birds last couple of days and all my usual spots have a decent number of birds this year.

Our limit has dropped to 15 which is the lowest I have seen it since I have been shooting.
About to head out one of the Bro in laws farms to shoot a pond for the evening flight. Wind is getting up so it might be good.

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Went on my first ever duck shoot and although wasn't expecting much thought would've seen more than we did. Guys I were with noticed very few birds compared to last year. We only had 3 come anywhere near us and all were missed. Even though low numbers bloody enjoyed it and will definately go back to try again

Weather is a factor, but I have heard and seen quite a number of birds craftily sitting it out in covered backwaters; geese as well. I think later in the season these birds will provide good evening hunts, depending on how much water is lying in paddocks. Some wet patches would be good for hunters, but lots would allow wide dispersion of birds. I hope a mild winter will see lower natural mortality rates overall.

Less shooters around our area by all accounts so birds were able to find quiet areas to park up in! Nephews worked hard for their birds but had a great day out!

No shortage of Ducks South of Ch Ch it seemed . A work colleague got a big total up North Canterbury, best in yrs according to him . Thousands of Brown Teal about

As per the other thread. My worst of only three seasons in the Far North, so probably doesn't mean very much. I have never seen so many parries, but don't think I saw a single mallard or grey duck.

6 of us shot Saturday, bagged 9 mallards and limits of parries. It was a sunny warm day with high cloud. Worst of all was no wind. On Sunday we had a quick morning shoot and then the big clean up. Saw heaps of parries mobbed up on freshly combined maize paddocks on the way back to Hastings.

Originally Posted by Munsey

No shortage of Ducks South of Ch Ch it seemed . A work colleague got a big total up North Canterbury, best in yrs according to him . Thousands of Brown Teal about

Wow, brown Teal..... Don't get many of those in Hawkes Bay

Talking to a customer yesterday, 160 ducks between 11 shooters in the Waikato

I had a great morning shot but even driving around the farm there are not many ducks on the ponds. Couple weeks ago when it was raining things were looking promising. Mate next door only got 80 for the two days (lake and dam) very low for them. No one shot on a massive pond up high on the over neighbouring property last year they got well over a hundred. Lot of teal around but not as bad as over years. Lot more water around this year and alot of padock's been harvest early this year.

friends that were hunting some of the larger lakes in the Waikato reported some of their best shooting. I hunted in a new spot near Mercer this year and so I having nothing to compare it to.

Originally Posted by Munsey

No shortage of Ducks South of Ch Ch it seemed . A work colleague got a big total up North Canterbury, best in yrs according to him . Thousands of Brown Teal about

we shot boggy creek on lake ellesmere and i can honestly say we ,d never had so many mallards floating about.
we had steady action right up untill 1or 2ish.
we didnt shoot heaps but the maimais next to us did well as we tried to get everything close as
we didnt call untill after about 12 ish and it worked birds attracted to the next 2 maimais flappys used us as a lining up point in thier circling.
giving us some great fun there did seem to be less parries around but aquaintances in methven and up the rakaia reckon they were inundated.
rakaia river shot well in places but they had way more wind apparently.

Shot opening in hb and regularly during season, heard of some good bags and others not so good.

I don't expect too much where we shoot, but treat it as an annual event to shoot with some mates and have some r and r.