SUCCESSFUL OPENING

Evening Star, Issue 22638, 3 May 1937, Page 11

SUCCESSFUL OPENING

SHOOTING SEASON BEGINS BIRDS FLYING HIGH Although the birds were flying high iu most cases, and sportsmen. were somewhat hampered by water lying on the ground, excellent sport was obtained on the opening day of the shooting season on Saturday. From reports received it is apparent that game is abundant this season, and prospects generally for a most successful term of snooting are promising. Among the bags secured by sportsmen were paradise, mallard, spoonbjll, and grey duck, all of which were in good condition when brought down. It appears that the birds in the Taieri district were flying too high. There were plenty to be seen, hut in the vicinity of Kirklands there was too much surplus water. The largest bag taken was one of four birds. Parties of Palmerston shooters left on Friday night, visiting Macraes, Patearoa, and Oturehua. Two sportsmen obtained limit bags at Ida Valley, where the weather was calm on Saturday, and where plenty of ducks were about. Another man is reported to have bagged seven ducks at.Bushey on Saturday evening, while a limit bag is said to have been obtained at Goodwood. The weather was too calm for the sport, the birds being timid and flying high. After the rain on Friday night the weather at Waikouaiti was fine on Saturday morning, but conditions were not in favour of shooters.. The followlowing bags have been reported:—Mr James Lawless, 16 ducks and 17 pukeko; Mr James Brown, five ducks; Mr G. Carline, six ducks and seven pukeko; Messrs W. Willcock and D. Smith, four ducks each. Those who visited the Tapanui district secured good bags. At Paradise Flat. Kelso, limit bags were secured by six men, shooting over old dredge holes. On Tapanui Flat, where there is at present more water than usual, the sport was not so. good, but fair bags, averaging from six to eight birds per gun, -were obtained. Yesterday’s weather was fine and clear, hut toward evening it was showing signs of becoming stormy, which would greatly improve shooting conditions. . The ducks taken were in splendid condition, probably due to the abundance of feed. The birds in the Ida Valley district failed to form well, but were more plentiful than last season. A party headed by Mr D. R. Neville obtained some good bags at the Ida Valley and Mataikanui The best sport, however, was not obtainable because of the fine weather.

A large number of gun’s from Dunedin made an appearance in the, Paerau district, limit bags of paradise ducks, grey ducks, quail, and black swan being not uncommon. In the vicinity of the Styx Plat the prospects for a good season are stated to be particularly bright. As a result of recent rains, the approach to the grounds at Patearoa was difficult. The weather was too fine on the opening day, the birds not being enticed low by the decoys. However, a party of five, Jed by Mr J. Gordon, took a mixed bag of 53 birds.