SHOOTING SEASON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 72, 15 May 1945, Page 5

SHOOTING SEASON

LIMIT BAGS THE RULE

DUCK IN PLENTIFUL. SUPPLY

From reports gathered from numerous shooting parlies -which took the field on Saturday in the early hours of the morning roast wild duck will grace the festive board of many a home tonight and for the next fortnight. Saturday morning saw almost every inch of "duck country" pitted with mi-mis, wherein hawk-eyed huntsmen squatted in durance vile waiting for the grey duck to migrate their way. And we should say by the number of limit bagjs obtained, that the ducks were quite pleased to oblige. From Taneatua M.r W. H. Sern--2 mens, reports that duck are plenti™ ful, and several limit bags were obtained over the week-end. Pheasants however were scarce and very wide. At Awakeri game was plentiful, Mr Jack- Penny obtaining a limit bag by eight o'clock the lirst morning. On the other hand, some sportsmen had still not obtained a limit bag by eight o'clock the next morning. Very unfortunate,, and due, no doubt, to the poor cartridges, or one of the other reasons which so often make the man miss the mark. Mr Jim O'Conner was another successful sportsman who scooped the lawful ten from the sky on Satuijh day, while both Mr Cyril Timbs and Leo Anderson also brought home the rasher (or rather the ration). Numerous visitors from different parts of the North Island once again took up temporary residence at the Matata Hotel and using it as a base t shot over the neighbouring country. Mr Fred Burt reports that they were not disappointed, and numerous limits were taken. Mr G. Otley, whose particular party had its position in the neighbourhood of Mt. Edgecumbe reported that results were disappointing due mainly to the fact that too many sportsmen were shooting over the lake. Apparently they also had to hack their way through a fog thicker than cotton wool which didn't improve matters. At Ohiwa sport was good, birds' plentiful and shooters not so thick '9 9 as in other parts of the territory. Apparently the biggest grumble of sportsmen this season centres round the ammunition question. Stocks would not cover the number of licenses issued, and so a number of would-be gunmen were forced to use air rifles bows and arrows and slianghies. We regret, to state that by those using the aforementioned weapons, few limit bags were obtained. It. is also felt that the sealson for duck, which is for a night from last Saturday should be extended, as many who were unable to obtain ammunition, at the commencement will miss altogether. Now that the first wave of shooting has finished the more serious business of presenting the birds with suitable modesty at one's' prowess to non-shooting friends is on harfd. In this respect the birds are sent far afield yesterday morning in particular a Beacon representative spotting thirty or forty brace at the office of the Road - Services; waiting for transhipment to some remote destination. As we said before plenty of people all over the North Island during the next week will be dining off duck shotl in the Bay of Plenty. By the way, we might add that we have come to the conclusion that there is no truth in the report which came to hand yesterday stating that the majority of ducks were Hying backwards in order to keep thei dust out of their eyes. We reached this conclusion by simple deduction. There was no dust, was there?