THE SHOOTING SEASON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21020, 8 May 1930, Page 14

THE SHOOTING SEASON.

SOUTHLAND DISTRICT. (Special to Daily Times.) INVERCARGILL, May 7. Most of the duck shooters who were out for the opening of the reason have now returned, and it is possible to give a brief review of the sport encountered in the different districts. In the Mararoa Valley and round Mossburn Paradise ducks were fairly plentiful, but were very wary and had to be stalked in many instances. A number of good bags were obtained, however. Shooting round Lumsden was good, limit bags being not uncommon. At Parama and Garston grey duck were not very plentiful. The dry season had caused several of the lagoons to go dry, and this affected the number of birds. The favourite lagoons in the Winton district provided excellent shooting, and many heavy bags were obtained. On the Aparima River, near Tliornbury, the shooting was also good, and the same applies to the lagoons near Fairfax. In the estuary sportsmen had as usual to work hard for their shooting, but were fairly well rewarded. This year the flight of the birds was not, as it usually is, into Awarua Bay, but was from the’lake to the estuary. Those in between had plenty of shooting, while those on the bay got very little. There were fully 100 guns on Lake Waituna, and taking this fact into consideration the sport obtained was remarkably good. The majority of sportsmen got big bags. In the eastern district good sport was encountered in most of the favoured localities. An exception was along the Waikara River. Most of the ducks usually found there were on the lagoon lower down. At Mataura Island the birds were very plentiful and many limit bags were obtained. A feature of the opening of the season was the very keen competition for positions. Particularly was this the case round Invercargill.