Southland Hunting Update 2011

Opening weekend (OW) bags in Southland were low for the second opening in a row but similar to 1992 when the bag was also lower than the long term average.

There appears to be a roughly decadal cycle so hopefully the bags will start trending upwards again next year. We cannot predict what might happen however. It does depend on the previous winter and springtime rainfall with wet weather usually producing good numbers of young birds for the following year. Although hot dry summers are not good for them. While the bags have a been a little light in Southland over the past two years the situation in all regions except for the South of the South Island is worse. The chart below shows the OW average bag for all regions in New Zealand for the last ten years.

Fish and Game is concerned about this of course, although there may be little we can do about it. We know that mallard breeding habitat is important and at times of drought the more of this there is available the better. When it is wet suitable habitat is everywhere but in dry springs and summers ponds, wetlands and protected river areas are important.

Fish and Game and its predecessors, the Acclimatisation Societies have been managing fish and game in New Zealand for 150 years and over that period game birds have come and gone, none more so than the mallard which didn’t get established here until well into the 20th century. Up till then greys were the mainstay of the waterfowler’s bag. Let’s hope that mallards will not go the same way. If we can protect their habitats we will retain them, but climate change could mean lower abundance on average. On the other hand drier conditions may suit pheasants or quail more.

Wildlife populations and species assemblages are constantly changing and it is up to us to make the most of these.