MANY LIMIT BAGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 104, 4 May 1936, Page 16

MANY LIMIT BAGS.

DUCKS REPORTED PLENTIFUL

WHAKATANE DISTRICT SPORT,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WHAKATANE, this day.

Reports from all parts of the district indicate that birds were fairly plentiful and the weather line for the opening of the shooting season. Many local residents and a large number of visitors from outside places spent the opening day with gun and dog. Most sportsmen concentrated on duck shooting in the vicinity of the lagoons on the Matata and Tarawera side of the Rangitaiki Plains, and at Thornton and Onepu, where many limit bags were secured. There were not many shootists •at Murupara and Galatea, but R. H. Innis and a party of four others each secured limit bags in that area. A. Hyland and a party of two each took their 20 birds at Thornton, while in that locality and at Tarawera R. Brown (Te Puke), G. Farmer (Whakatane), F. J. Reynolds (Thornton), H. Hardeastle (Rotorua), F. McLean and J. White (Gisborne) all reached their limit bags. The greatest number of sportsmen patronised the Matata and Tarawera area, where gunshot reports were incessant throughout the day. Shortly after the firing commenced the ducks flew to sea, but when the westerly wind sot up returned to the sanctuary at Matata lagoon, where they were safe from attack. Consequently no limit bags were reported from that district, although most of the visitors were well satisfied. Til addition to local sportsmen, the following visitors were at Matata for the opening day: —Messrs. Belcher (Auckland), Bradley (Hnnterville), Manocl (Gisborne), Ivean (fiisborne), Mnnguson, Corrigan and Willis (Wanganui), Gubb (Leigh), Bull. Shorter, Hannigan, J. Patterson and Collins (Auckland).

Prominent sportsmen say results were most successful. Ducks appeared to be more plentiful than on any other opening day for the past seven or eight years.