'88 winter means top duckshooting season

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 285, 2 May 1989, Page 12

'88 winter means top duckshooting season

Prospects for the 1989 game season look excellent following a mild, wet winter and a good spring breeding season.

However, a warning is issued to hunters with dogs that some areas of the Waimarino have been 1080 poisoned. DOC officers advise hunters to check with landowners before hunting if in doubt. The annual Paradise Shelduck trend count was done on 20 January 1989 throughout the Taumarunui (Cl) and Waimarino (C2) areas.

Despite last game season's increased bag for Paradise, this years count was only down 13% being 4065 for Cl and 8040 for C2. As the Central North Island Wildlife Conservancy Council (C.N.I.W.C.C) are keen to achieve a further substantial reduction in total Paradise numbers, this year the bags for both Cl and C2 have

been increased from fourteen (14) to sixteen (16) per day. It is hoped that this will further lower the total population and thereby reduce grazing damage to farms next summer. Hunters should retain this season's licence as it will be required should there be a special March paradise hunting season in 1990. It is envisaged that any special season would be similar to that held by both Auckland and Wanganui Acclimatisation Societies this year.

One Canada Goose per day is now on the bag for area Cl in response to increased numbers in western Lake Taupo. Survey In 1988 a postal survey on game harvest was undertaken for areas Cl and C2. The objective was to obtain reliable estimates of gamebird harvest in order to assist with future management decisions. C.N.I.W.C.C. game licence holders were randomly selected for survey over five two-week periods. Fifty diary

cards were mailed out at the end of each period and non-respondents were telephoned after a further week. A good response was received from hunters surveyed, averaging a 40% retum per period. The majority of the 238 hunters who purchased licences were surveyed at least once. Unfortunately it is not possible to survey those landowners who hunt on their own properties. These hunters form a sizeable proportion of the total hunters within the Waimarino ward district. 1988 season As this type of survey is entirely new to the Waimarino it is not possible to compare results with previous field surveys. However, Wanganui Acclimatisation Society have conducted the same format survey for the 1988 season and their results are shown in brackets. Light fogs followed by generally fine days did not assist much over last year's opening weekend. However, hunters managed to bag an average of 11 (6.7) birds for the weekend, or 1.6 (0.7) birds per hour. Paradise made up 53% (18%) of the opening weekend bag

followed by Mallard 35% (64%) and Grey Duck 10% (14%). Shoveler and Pukeko made up the other 2% (4%). For the rest of the season Pukekos formed almost half of the total bag. However, disregarding these and concentrating on ducks alone, hunters shot an average total bag of 14 (9) ducks or 1.7 (0.98) ducks per hour. Paradise made up over half of the bag of ducks, again illustrating the importance of this species to the

Waimarino Ward hunter. The figures indicate that hunting success for the rest of the season actually improved for effort expended. Overall hunters had a good 1988 season. The previous opening weekend of 1987 for example showed an average success rate of 1.24 birds per hour for the Waimarino Ward district based on field checks. Almost all other C.N.I.W.C.C areas in 1987 had a success rate below one bird per hour.