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Year Long Season |
Hunt Merriam Gobblers There is no hunting season for turkeys in New Zealand, and they may be hunted all year long. In the months August to November, there is much gobbling as male birds sort out the mating hierarchy. This would be a good time to visit. The summer months December to February see the birds coming into their moult and tail feathers can be tatty, while the autumn and winter months have shorter days and colder temperatures. |
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| Big Birds |
Flocks number from ten to fifteen birds, and several flocks inhabit the same general range.In New Zealand, autumn is March to May, and spring, September to November. For the hunter wanting to mix turkey with waterfowl hunting, then he or she needs to remember that the hunting season in New Zealand is from the first weekend in May to July 2. Getting a turkey is easy. Getting one of the cunning big boys is no certainty. A tom with a beard length of nine inches was recently shot, and six and seven inch beards are quite common. |
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| The Hunt |
A typical hunt would see the hunter, attempt to either follow a flock and stalk the biggest tom, or wait near a roosting site. Those who hunt in the wilder country, select a vantage spot, then using binoculars, find their quarry. A hunt is then carried out. New Zealand birds rely on their eyesight, and once spotting an enemy will flee uphill. A cunning hunter can conceal himself, and let the guide scare birds past him. There's more than one way to pluck a turkey. Our turkeys are big birds, and a mature tom will weigh from 18 to 25 pounds. Contact: fairchase@paradise.net.nz |
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