Shooting Season Under Way From May 6

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31330, 29 March 1967, Page 18

Shooting Season Under Way From May 6

The game-shooting season will be under way in the North Canterbury acclimatisation district from May 6, with the controversial pukeko included in the game list The limit bag for pukeko is one bird north of the Ashley river, or three birds south of it Pukeko shooting is prohibited, however, in the old Kaituna railway station area—at Kaituna point opposite the station, and between the old railway line and the Christ-church-Akaroa highway—and on either side of the mouth of the L2 river (Selwyn No. 2 river.)

The shooting season will extend to June 5 for pukeko and duck, and to July 30 for other game birds except cock pheasant which may only be taken up to May 12. Of grey, shoveler, mallard, and paradise duck, shooters may take a bag of up to 10 in all, except that five extra mallard drakes only may be taken. There are no limits on the taking of black swan and Canada geese which latter may be shot only to the east of the South Island main trunk railway. Shooting hours for all game are 6.30 a.m. to 7 p.m., except that between June 14 and July 30 inclusive, Canada geese may be shot up to midnight on Lake Ellesmere east of a line from the northern mouth of the Selwyn to a marker post at the lake outlet at Taumutu.

No hut, mud hole, or mia mia must be used in any part of Lake Ellesmere where water depth is greater than 2ft, nor must shot or mutilated black swan be left in or around the lake. Closed game areas notified in the Gazette are the Rangiora Borough Council’s oxidation ponds, and adjacent farm land, and part of the Weka stream, in the Weka Pass area, flowing through the properties of Messrs D. Antill, F. J. Bain, C. H. Bethell, L. W. Ferguson, R. G. Forbes, estate R. B. Johnston, E. C. S. Murchison and E. C. Topp. The season durations for the various game birds, with daily limit bags in parenthesis are: To May 12—Cock pheasant (1). To June s—Grey duck (10), shoveler (5), mallard duck (10, or 15 drakes), paradise duck (3), pukeko (1 north of Ashley river, 3 south). To July 30—Californian quail (10), Chukor (no limit), black swan (no limit), Canada geese (no limit).