How to bag paradise duck

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 46, 7 May 1985, Page 6

How to bag paradise duck

To many waterfowl hunters the paradise is a difficult bird to stalk and hunters usually take long-shots that scare the bird and more often than not, miss. For other shooters though, the "parie" is taken in limits in a very short time. by Dave Johnson Unlike mallards, paradise decoy very readily, as it is instinctive for them to flock together. By cutting silhouette shapes from plywood and painted in the right colours, paradise can be decoyed within range very easily. As long as the shooter has twenty to thirty silhouettes, uses cover and keeps still, the decoys work well. Paradise callers are also

available from some sports shops and are particularly deadly when combined with the decoys. This set-up works best when there are large flocks of ducks and these are the

birds the hunters want to shoot anyway. Usually the paradise that are in flocks during May are the young birds, only one or two years old and "are best for the table."

The following duck hunting facts and figures were supplied for the benefit of the Ruapehu region's hunters by Dave Johnson: Game That May be Hunted or Killed Duration of 1985 Season Grey, shoveler and mallard duck 4 May to 30 June incl. Paradise duck (all areas) 4 May to 30 June incl. Pukeko (all areas) 4 May to 30 June incl. Black swan (Areas Al. A2) 4 May to 30 June incl. Black swan (Area B2) 4 May to 3 June incl Black swan (Areas Bl, Cl, C2) Close Season Canada goose (Area B2 only) 4 May to 30 June incl. California quail (Areas Bl. B2) 4 M*y to 4 August incl; California quail (remainder of district) 4 May to 25 August incl. Brown quail and cock pheasant 4 May to4 August incl. Definition of Areas Area Al: Opotiki County, Whakatane and Rotorua Districts, those parts of Matamata and Tauranga Counties that lie within the C.N.l.W.C. District, and all that area of Taupo County that lies to the north of the shores of Lake Taupo and the Napier-Taupo Road (Sta.te Highway No. 5). Area A2: All that area of the Taupo and Hawkes Bay Counties that lies to the south-west of the Napier-Taupo Road (State Highway No. 5). Area Bl: All of the Waiapu. Waikohu and Cook Counties. Area B2: That part of the Wairoa County that lies within the C.N.l.W.C. District. Area Cl: All that part of the Taumarunui County that lies within the C.N.l.W.C. District. Area C2: All of the Waimarino County and those parts of the Waitotara, Wanganui and Rangitikei Counties that lie within the C.N.l.W.C. District. Daily Bag Limits Grey duck, 15 Pukeko (Area Cl), 5 Shoveler duck, 15 Pukeko (remainder of Conservancy), 3 Mallard duck, 15 Black swan (Areas Al & A2), 3 Paradise duck (Area Al), 3 Black swan (Area B2), I Paradise duck (Area A2), 4 Black swan (Areas Bl, Cl & C2), No Season Paradise duck (Areas Bl, B2 & Cl), Canada goose (Area B2 only), 2 8 Paradise duck (Areas C2), 10 California and brown quail and cock Grey. shoveler and mallard duck, pheasant, no limit 15 in all Shooting hours: 6.15 a.m. to 6.15 p.m. Decoy limit: No limit. Special Condition 1 . With the exception of freehold waters it shall be an offence to hunt or kill game from unmoored boats during the opening weekend only, being Saturday 4 May 1985, and Sunday 5 May 1985.