DUCK SHOOTER FOR 50 YEARS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29507, 8 May 1961, Page 14

DUCK SHOOTER FOR 50 YEARS

A well-known Ellesmere district shooter, Mr W. L. Donald, has attended every duck shooting opening day for 50 years, excepting the seasons when he was on active service overseas.

His enthusiasm for shooting is shared by his three sems, all of whom accompanied their father on the opening day’s shoot on Saturday. They are Messrs A. W. H Donald (Lakeside), N. R Dcnald (Leeston), E. L. F. Donald (Irwell). The latter is well known as one of New Zealand's finest shots and gained a place in the New Zealand international clay bird shooting team when the New Zealand trap-shooting championships were held in Hamilton recently. Mr Donald senior has been a keen trap-shooting enthusiast all his life. He is a past president and life member of the Ellesmere Gun Club. Mr Donald, who is also president of the Springs Ellesmpre Sportsmen's Association says:—

‘‘Looking back I have had so much pleasure out of my shooting that I hope to see the sport preserved for generations coming on. ‘‘Finest Natural Area”

“We have the finest natural area for game shooting in New Zealand in the 107 square miles on Lake Ellesmere and I would like to see Lake Ellesmere with a permanent outlet which should suit the majority concerned. “Complete drainage of the lake is out of the question until irrigation is established on dry lands above sea level “Furthermore ducks are not so plentiful as they were when I first began shooting

50 years ago and there may be a need to consider a closed season later. This was done in 1911 to increase duck population and if there was a need then there is a greater need now with greater shooting pressure and better transport making shooting areas more accessible. At present about 2500 shooting licences are issued annually.

“Production has demanded the drainage of a considerable area of duck habitat and as Ellesmere is one of the places left, many of us would like to see the lake declared a national sporting playground without unduly interfering with commercial fishing,” said Mr Donald.