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Quality |
Fantastic Gamebird Hunting New Zealand is a country long renowned for its liberal bird bags, but the Central South Island region of that country leads all other regions with its limit of 50 birds a day per hunter. The area provides amazing duck hunting, but what is less well known is that it offers a wide range of other licensed waterfowl. Bird collectors have the opportunity to harvest geese, swan, shelduck, duck, and pukeko from the one blind. |
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| Gamebirds |
We recommend clients use Brendon Matthews when hunting from a blind during the main season. He is the best there is in this sort of situation, and had been guiding groups of bird hunters for over a decade. Waimate is a small town in the heart of the best Central South Island bird hunting, only a three-hour drive from Christchurch International airport. Matthews has arranged access to dozens of separate ponds, rivers, swamps, and flooded fields, and he and his guides are able to handle hunting groups of up to six at a time. He is a guide who understands what serious bird hunters want. |
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Big Spreads |
He employs large decoy spreads, robo ducks, mojo geese, excellent blinds, skilled duck callers and several gundogs to give his clients every edge he can. Over a client’s stay, Matthews offers two quite distinct types of hunts, though the method of hunting is similar.That method is blinds and decoys. It is a simple method, but one that uses guise and camouflage to its very best effect. |
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| Hunt One |
The first hunt is for quantity and involves mallard ducks. The primary locations are farm ponds where numerous flocks of the birds either rest or return to at night to feed. The usual method employed in these circumstances is to build blinds, employ large decoy spreads and wait for birds to appear. The returning birds are resident birds so each pond cannot be overshot, hence the need to have a guide who has access to several ponds or waterways over the five days clients are hunting. Last season on opening day, two hunters shot their full bags of 100 ducks. |
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| Hunt Two |
The second hunt targets paradise shelducks, and usually takes place on larger, more open waterways where the birds feed locally on grass or stubble paddocks and return periodically to the water. These large birds have beautiful plumage and are highly sought as trophies for mounting. The male is a glossy black with a black head, while the female is chestnut with a white head. Big tallies are often taken. Once you arrive in New Zealand, an all-inclusive, five-day hunt package costs $2650 (U.S.). |
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| Hunt Three |
During February and March another region has a special season for paradise duck and Canada geese. The shooting can be fast and furious. We recommend outfitter James Gray here because he has exclusive access to the best hunting areas. The paradise ducks in particular are causing crop and pasture damage so can appear in large flocks, and be almost suicidal in their desire to decoy in. Limit bags of 20 birds per hunter a day are not uncommon. The wary Canada is not as determined but occasionally lets his guard down and big bags are shot. Gray guides right through the main season as well. |
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| Season |
The bird season in New Zealand essentially runs from the first weekend in May to the end of July with the principal target species being mallard duck. A full hunting license costs $45 (U.S.). Opening weekend is invariably booked a year in advance, but hunts in late May and June are also very successful. Hunts for turkey and quail are also available for later in the season. Pheasant hunting can be arranged but will cost an additional $350 (U.S.) a day. There is no Company in New Zealand who caters as fully for visiting bird shooters. Contact: fairchase@paradise.net.nz |
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