Earlier Game Season To Be Recommended

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30288, 14 November 1963, Page 19

Earlier Game Season To Be Recommended

A motion to open the game shooting season two weeks early—on April 18—was carried at the monthly council meeting of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society last evening. The motion was moved by the chairman of the game committee (Mr G. Mugford) who said that ducks had greatly increased in numbers during recent years on Lake Ellesmere. At the same time harvest time had been advanced by four or five weeks and by May most stubble had been ploughed under, leaving little food for the ducks. “If we are going to shoot them it is better to shoot them while they are plump,” he said. Mr Mugford said that the motion was based on advice from Mr R. W. S. Cavanagh a game management officer, who had been invited to address a meeting of the game committee. Mr Mugford said there was no reason why the season should end before June 1. By the end of the season the ducks had become wary and difficult to hit. The longer season would not result in depletion of numbers. “The only reason we still want to end in June is that many people like to spend Queen's Birthday week-end at their huts,” he said. The question of the earlier start to the season will have to be decided in Wellington on a national basis. The Wildlife Division of the Department of Internal Affairs will not recommend an early start unless there is a majority agreement from societies throughout the country. Mr N. I. Voyce said he opposed the motion. The early start would clash with the New Zealand Gun Club clay bird championships, which were being held in Christchurch. “Many trap shooters also go game shooting,” he said.

The matter should be discussed at the annua] meeting. “This question is great enough for a referendum,” he said. The opening would clash with the fishing season. Mr Mugford replied that it was not so long since the out-of-season goose shooting and there had not been one report of fishermen and shooters coming to blows. The fishing committee had supported the motion. If it had been against it then his committee would not have gone ahead. Not Deferred An amendment by Mr W. H. Robinson that the matter be deferred for another year was lost. Mi- R. F. Stead said that the fishing season could be shortened to end at the beginning of the game season. Mr R. E. Satherly said that the matter should not be put off because of the gun clubs. The same thing would happen next year in some district where the championships would be held. "There has been a lot of twaddle talked about fishing and game shooting clashing,” said Mr D M. Brown. Other places in the country had open seasons. He had seen few fishermen around in April. The meeting agreed to carry Mr Mugford’s original motion, which said that provided no official objections were lodged by gun clubs, by November 30, the society would recommend the earlier season, opening on April 18 and ending on June 1. The council agreed to hold a special Canada goose season the same as last season—from January 25 to March 9.

Money “Money never made as muon as a square meal for a mosquito.”—The Minister of Labour (Mr Shand).