WITH THE GUNS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 104, 3 May 1911, Page 9

WITH THE GUNS.

GAME PLENTIFUL, BUT SHY.

Accounts vary among sportsmen as to the bags obtainable during the opening day of the shooting season this year, but there is general agreement that the birds are plentiful enough, but that the clear weather was against big bags, while, from several quarters, .reports come that the ducks grew very wild as hostilities against them proceeded. In the interests of true sport it is not to be regretted that the fear ther tribe had a little on their side in the somewhat unequal contest, as the slaughter of birds by the hundreds In the not over-sportsmanlike effort to secure record tallies is not the most pleasant feature of shooting seasons in the eyes of those who have the sport at heart. As to pheasants and other Imported game, the conditions attending their destruction are so different that the shootist who gets a good bag generally earns it, and in any case the season will be a day or two older before much can be heard of the luck attending the guns after them. But from accounts arriving, it would appear that the longtails are pretty plentiful in most of the districts favoured of them, while game generally is reported to be in excellent condition.

Among the big bags reported, one of 70 brace, mostly grey duck, obtained by Mr. Lewis on the Whangamarino Swamp, tops the list so far, while several parties are stated to have secured bags of from 50 to 100 birds on the Waikato and its creeks, while one party of three guns—Messrs. J. Johnston, B. Ralph, and M. Keleher—are reported to have bagged 160 ducks. Oα Lakes Whangape and Wr.ikare moderate bags were secured, the water being too rough for good shooting conditions. _ Among the bags obtained were \ fair number of swans. Up the Northern line pheasants are reported to be "very plentiful, and on Monday some 40 licenses were issued at Helensville and Kaukapakapa, while there are also a good number of visiting sportsmen from Auckland in the district.

ON THE WAIHOU AND THE SWAMP. EXCELLENT SPORT. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) TE AKOHA. Tuesday. The Ist of May being the opening of the shooting season, several local sportsmen took advantage of the fine weather, and went out to the various shooting grounds, in search of game. The people who visited the Waihou River and the adjacent swamp in quest of duck and teal -were well rewarded, both duck and teal being very plentiful. One party, which returned to town to-day, report having got 40 brace of duck for one day's shooting, while other bags equally as large are also reported. Pheasants and. _ quail (both Australian and Californian) are also plentiful, and some large bags have been secured.