SHOOTING SEASON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 99, 29 April 1938, Page 8

SHOOTING SEASON.

OPENS ON MONDAY.

PROSPECTS FOR SPORTSMEN

The shooting season will begin on Monday, the opening date being-delayed one day this year owing to May 1 being a Sunday.

Present indications are that there will be good prospects for sportsmen. Duck* are reported to be plentiful in the Lower Waikato, particularly on Lake Whangape and Lake Waikare. The breeding season was early, and the young ducks have had a chance to mature.

The long spell of dry weather conrentrated the wild ducks, but heavy rain during the past couple of weeks will cause them to spread over a wider area.

Pheasant shooting promises to be good, as it has been the best breeding eeaeon for many years. There have beeu many young clutches, and second hatchings ihave been observed. In addition, the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, during the close eeaeon, liberated 3000 birds.

A nnmber of Auckland sportsmen have already visited the Lower Waikato district to mark out their' maimais. Under the regulations a mainiai stand can be claimed after April 17, provided a shooting license has been taken out, but the claimant must affix on a board at his maimai his name, address, and number of his license.

The president of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, Mr. F. E. MeKenzie, commenting npon the good prospects of the coming season this morning, referred to the maimais, and pointed out that after they had been properly claimed there was a maximum penalty of £25 for interference with them.

The kinds of imported and native game which may be snot in the Auckland area are cock pheasants, Californian and Australian quail, mallard, grey and (spoonbill duck, pukeko and black swan. In accordance with the regulations, no person can take game in an area which has been declared a sanctuary, and no person shall use an aeroplane except to travel to and from a rendezvous. There i* a similar restriction upon the use of power boats on lakes and rivers.