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Duck hunting: Two people have guns seized
(HTM) Source
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**Two hunters had their guns seized after being caught without
licences in the Eastern region over the opening weekend of duck
hunting season.**
**Fish & Game staff, along with police and firearms safety authority
officers, checked 125 hunters around the region, Fish & Game says in a
statement today.**
The matter involving the two hunters will be followed up, the
statement says.
Senior Fish & Game officer Anthony van Dorp says teams checked that
hunters had their licences, didn't exceed bag limits, didn't use lead
shot within 200m of any open water while hunting waterfowl and
followed other rules.
"Overall, the people that we saw were receptive to meeting rangers,
even those found to have breached the law, such as a hunter in Tolaga
Bay without a licence.
"If we don't do compliance work, there's no real deterrence. It's
really good to have conversations in the field about why we do
compliance and what we do and our role managing game; it helps them
realise the value of their hunting licence and where the money they
pay goes to."
Anthony says he found hunters want to share their passion, and they
appreciate the work Fish & Game do to manage bird populations and
ensure hunting is done ethically and safely.
Hunters were also surveyed about the numbers of birds they harvested.
"Some hunters in the East Coast Gisborne area reported that it was the
best opening day hunting they've had in years, with excellent
success."
**'Festive' atmosphere**
Fish & Game says the atmosphere was "festive" over the weekend and
hunters approached were happy to chat with rangers.
Many maimai have children and whole family groups.
Chris Dominikovich went out with mates Scott Kelly and Regan Molloy at
Kaituna Wetlands, after convincing them to give it a go as he'd loved
duck hunting as a youngster.
_Melanie Johnson, Chris and Rachelle Meijer at Kaituna on opening
weekend. Photo / Fish & Game._
"I just used to enjoy it when I was younger, just time to enjoy with a
few mates, a few laughs, you get all geared up for it, it's quite
exciting, it's nice to be out here on a beautiful day even though the
ducks are staying away," says Chris.
Ian Watson from Pāpāmoa was also out hunting with his friend of 30
years, Blair Hutchinson, on Richard Weld's land.
He says he hunted with his father "as a pup" and enjoyed doing it with
a friend.
"It's not just the shooting, it's all the prep, the camaraderie, it's
not just about getting the meat."
_Blair Hutchinson and Ian Watson hunting at Kaituna on opening
weekend. Photo / Fish & Game._
Also at Kaituna, Rachelle Meijer, who grew up in Pāpāmoa, says she
goes hunting every year with her dad Chris and now with her partner
Mel.
"It' been something that I've done since I was growing up, with Dad,
it's a cool activity we bond over. Just getting out in nature and
doing something different from the day-to-day.
"When I met Mel, Mel started coming along too and now it's the three
of us every year, helping Dad now that he's getting a little bit
older."
_-Rotorua Daily Post._
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