GODWIT SHOOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 13

GODWIT SHOOTING

SEASON ENDS TO-DAY

EFFECT OF LIMITED BAG

With rhe godwit season for 1934 ending to-day rc[>orts by sjxirtsmen indicate that good sport has been enjoyed oniy in certain localities. Information is not available as to the quality of the sport in the far north, where the Ninety-Mile Beach and such harbours as Parengarenga usually offer excellent prospects for godwit shootineThe bulk of the shooting in the Auckland Prop net is done, on the shores of the Manukau and the Kaipaia Harbours. It wa» stated yesterday that in both the Helensville and Dargaville districts results have been disappointing. For those from AucKland and the ByrTOunding district who are unable to muke the longer journey to the North Auckland harbours the shores of the Mamikjau/ have provided good si>ort this year. . The birds have been pleniiiuli and have been flying well, and li>?re has been r>o difficulty in securizi'Z the limit, which was this year reto 20 birds a day. Favourite (spots have/ been those near Weymouth and in th 4 neighbourhood of T\aiuku, and in both places some excellent da>s were enjoyed by a number of sportsmen, when the full bag was obtained without difficulty.

sjjortsinen with a long experience of gouwit shooting state there has been no appreciable diminution in the number ot compared with other years. Ihe birds are undoubtedly becoming more ami more shy and harder to stalk, particularly in the Manukau area. i'Jiis is attributed to the fact that the //beaches along the Manukau pre more crowded as the roads improve and motor-cars become more general. One interesting change noticed in the habits of the godwit near Auckland is in the line of their flightfrom the Waitepiata and the Manukau, undertaken bv the birds to take advantage of the t'nree hours' difference m the t,(^ es - T'ntil a few years ago the fll « ht " a . s from the Ripper reaches of the Waiteniata hf way of the \\hau Creek and then in a circle round the Manukau flats. Lately it has been noticed that the (light is by way of the ramaki cud 'W iri. . i There has been a certain amount of dissatisfaction this year over the limit of 20 birds, and. in view ot the abundance of birds, sportsmen hope t«, m-c the limit increased m future vears. It //is also hoped that the seaion will commence on January 1. ami will extend, for the full three months. .A number of sportsmen have not conndercd it worth while to make an> lorr: journey for the small bag ot AJ birds.