DUCKS & SWANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1939, Page 6

DUCKS & SWANS

SHOOTING SEASON OPENS ON SATURDAY PROSPECTS IN WAIRARAPA. LAKE AND LAGOON LEVELS FALLING. Sportsmen, are looking forward with keen anticipation to the opening of the shooting season on Saturday. For the first time on record, the season is being opened this year, on a day other than May 1 or 2. This has been done in order to meet the wishes of sportsmen, by allowing shooting to start on the first weekend in May. This, it is stated, will allow those whose' shooting is restricted to the weekend the same opportunities for securing game as those' whose time is unlimited. On this account it is believed that there will be a record number of sportsmen out on Saturday. I Wairarapa Lake is the principal rendezvous of sportsmen in the Wellington district. Both duck and swan are reported to be present in large numbers, especially in the lower reaches of the lake. Owing to the high level of the lake and lagoons following the recent rain, coupled with the fact that the outlet was closed, many of the miamias were under water and sportsmen were apprehensive, if these conditions continued, about the prospects, of the opening day. Fortunately, the.outlet has since been opened and the' water is falling fairly rapidly, especially at the Featherston end. The position now is, that some shooters would like to see the level of the water remain where it is, while others want to see it lower. By Saturday, however, it is expected that conditions will be -more or less normal. ’ One shooter expressed the view that he did not think the season would be a very good one,, as there would be too many potholes left in which the ducks would find shelter and z where they would be difficult to reach. Better shooting was always secured on a rising lake than on a falling one, he said, as the birds then came to the edges of the water to secure fresh feed. Un to last night only 40 licences had been issued by the Masterton Post Office as compared with 95 last year. It is thus evident that shooters, like other classes of the community, leave until the last minute the matter of securing their licences.

In the Wellington district the season for hares, cock pheasants, Californian quail and Australian quail is from May 6 to July 31 inclusive; for grey, mallard and shoveller duck, from May 6 to June 30 inclusive; for black swan, from May 6 to May 19 and from June 24 to June 30 inclusive; and for pukeko from May 6 to May 19. It is provided that no person shall in any one day take or kill more than two head, of cock pheasants; three head of black 'swan; in the month of May, fifteen head in all of grey, mallard and or spoonbill duck; in the month of June terr head in all of grey, mallard and or spoonbill duck, and five head of pukeko. Hares are not protected in the Wairarapa district. \