THE SHOOTING SEASON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15613, 20 May 1914, Page 10

THE SHOOTING SEASON

SPORT IN KAIPARA.

EXPORT OF 'PHEASANTS.

Sportsmkn in the Kaipara district report that the recent gales. have caused pheasants to take to bush cover, but nevertheless excellent sport has been obtained. Complaints are \ rife regarding .the limit bag. of 12 birds per day. The opinion is widely expressed that. next season should be an open one for hen birds, as their numbers exceed those of the cocks, probably by eight to one. In consequence of hen birds being .; protected >- the benefits accruing from the yearly liberation of new strains of cock birds are said to be considerably nullified. ' From all localities in the Hobson and Otamatea counties satisfactory bags are reportod. Consignments are • made by every steamer leaving Kaipara and.;way porta for Auckland '.; and all Southern towns as far as . Invercargill, and it is reported that a fair number of Kaipara birds are being shipped to Sydney each week. '■.'•■.;.

Throughout,the; wide territory of the Hobson Acclimatisation Society, : which embraces on er half a million > acres, the ordinary pot-hunter this year finds his fields for,.; exploitation '•'■ much restricted; Many farmers have closed.their properties to sportsmen, and in' both Otamatea and Hobson several large holdings have become forbidden ground. Nevertheless; there are largo, shooting fields for visitors and trustworthy sportsmen, and they have little trouble in obtaining permission to shoot over territory on which dairy cattle.. and ; shoep ■, are not depastured. It is computed that during the past two weeks over 1000 cock pheasants have been forwarded to Auckland, and that a similar number have been used locally* , / •