ROD AND GUN Mallard, Is Hard Duck To Shoot

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 17

ROD AND GUN Mallard, Is Hard Duck To Shoot

By

J. SIERS.)

I have little sympathy for the trials and tribulations of duck hunters; they have little to complain of, because they go to so little effort in the pursuit of their particular happiness.

Unlike some of the other field sports, it demands the least of physical effort and what is worse, a minimum of skill. There are some exceptions, and a few go to a lot of trouble.

The majority, however, only get up early enough to make sure they’re at the mia mia before dawn and then spend the rest of the day in comparative comfort with such extras as foam rubber seats and a flask.

Some of the latter-day mia rnias are a sight to behold. Designed and built with sweeping vision, they offer shelter from the best duck weather (teeming rain and howling wind) and at the! same time the best advantage for shooting at ducks. The greatest problem the duckshooter has had to face in recent years is the increase in mallard population in preference of the rather stupid grey. Mallards can’t be •’conned" as easily and shooters are finding they have to be better at setting out decoys, building better mia mias and learning to deliver a better call. As all this will bring the mallard into range for a short while, the aim with the trusty fowling piece must be made as sharp as a tack. All this is fine for the middle-aged, out-of-condition would be hunter. These skills can be mastered without too great an expansion of physical effort.

But for those who like gamebird shooting at its best, quail, pheasant and in the South Island, chuckor, offer the best ticket to pleasure. The successful shooting of these gamebirds calls for the possession of a good dog. Not just a retreiver, but a dog which will find, set or point and on command put the birds up for the shooter. The beauty of this type of shooting, apart from the pleasure of working with your own dog, is the lack of boredom and monotony which can descend on a mia mia which has seen no action.

With gamebirds such as quail and pheasant even a slow day can be full of interest because the hunter is constantly on the move and because there is always the feeling that at any moment the dog will find something. Once partridge have been successfully acclimmatised, this type of shooting will be even more attractive. Regular Sport Duck and gamebird shooting is one of the most popular sports in the country. A conservative estimate would show there are up to 20,000 such shooters throughout the

country. Licence sales account for about 43,000 and there is no way of figuring the number of property holders who do not have to purchase a licence. The number of shooters is ; increasing at up to 7 per Scent each year, faster than the increase in New Zealand’s population. While shooters are increasing duck habitat is decreasing at an alarming rate. There is no figure, but it would certainly be no less (than 5 per cent each year. ! Fortunately, unlike gamebirds generally, which need a good deal of suitable cover for shelter and breeding, [ducks can be accommodated [with a minimum of fuss and !as far as shooting is concerned, will continue to provide the greatest action. Whereas many landholders may hesitate to allow a man and dog to wander around the countryside looking for quail or pheasant, they may i feel less doubtful about a [duck shooter confi-ed to his [mia mia in one comer of the i farm. i The tendency to convert 'every available piece of ! ground to grass further [ reducing gamebird populations. Ducks, however, are ! now beginning to benefit from [subsidised pond - building [schemes and as the demand [for shooting increases, ponds [will be built more and more, not only catering to water[fowl, but also beautifying | the countryside. It may be that in future before new shooters can take part in the sport they will first have to build a duckpond. Though the effort involved will not be substantial, it will make shooters generally far more appreciative of the good things available to them.