GOOD PROSPECTS FOR THE SHOOTING SEASON

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6889, 20 April 1929, Page 10

GOOD PROSPECTS FOR THE SHOOTING SEASON

Grey Duck Plentiful MANY PHEASANTS LIBERATED IN THE MANAWATU DISTRICT Manawatu sportsmen have every prospect of enjoying a successful shooting season when the protection of game birds is lifted on May 1, according to Mr T. Andrews, Wellington Acclimatisation society ranger, whose headquarters are in Palmerston North.

Mr Andrews informed a reporter yesterday that from his observations while ranging his wide district, grey duck will, be plentiful this season and should provide sportsmen with good bags. Quail, however, seemed to be- still decreasing in numbers, while though pukeko were to be found in fair numbers in the swamps, he did not think that they would be sufficiently numerous to justify an open season being declared for the Wellington district. Good Prospects for Pheasants.

Prospects for pheasant shooting, however, were better than they had ever been as largo numbers of this imported game had been liberated already in tlic Manawatu district. "Also the season had been remarkably favourable and food supplies of grubs, beetles and caterpillars, on which the young pheasants thrive, had been very plentiful. At the present time. 970 pheasants had been liberated by the Wellington Society in this district, and although no more would be liberated until after the opening of the shooting season, it was intended -to release a total of ISOO birds in suitable localities. Pheasants had already been set at liberty in the Tiritca, Aokautere, Kautarawa, Bamcsse Karerc, Tokomaru and Foxton district’s. Usually, the mortality among the pheasant chicks was fairly high, but this vear the plentiful supply of food appeared to have enabled the hens to rear larger families. At the same time, Mr Andrews was of the opinion that the food supplies of native and imported' game birds were largely decreased by the activities oi the flocks of starlings which devoured large quantities of grubs and caterpillars. The starling had certainly justified its existence from the farmer’s point of view, but it took a lot of food from the gamo and native birds.

Rats Menace to Bird Life. In the Tararuas, native bird life did not appear to be increasing to any extent although it was not noticeably decreasing. Mr. Andrews was of the opinion that tho grey rat was largely responsible for preventing increases is the numbers of the native birds, for rats were very plentiful indeed in the Tararua bush. As an instance of the alarming spread of these pests, between 30,000 and 40,000 rats were killed in tho Tararuas every year by the trappers. While the native birds were not as plentiful in the Tararuas as they might be, he had been amazed, while camping in a block of bush on the headwaters of the Rangitikei, to find bell birds, fantails and other natives in thousands. He had Tanged over a great deal of bush, in both islands but never before had he encountered such a plentitude of native bird life. A significant fact was that in this particular block of bush, rats appeared to be entirely absent.