THE SHOOTING SEASON. AUCKLAND, May 2.

Otago Witness, Issue 2669, 10 May 1905, Page 54

THE SHOOTING SEASON. AUCKLAND, May 2.

The shooting season opened very successfully. In the Waikato and adjacent districts several record bags of ducks were secured, one party of two obtaining no less than 130 brace of ducks in a. few hours on Monday at Wbangape. Large baes were also sooured in other portions of the district. Tt is stated that game is more plentiful this year than for many years past. The birds arc in excellent condition.

Sttortsmen wore abroad before clavbreak on Monday, Ist (says the Wyndham Farm sr), witb dog and fowling-piece. Messrs Allan Leiteh and Robert Bain bagged 15 ducks before dinner time, and Messrs Robert Winter and James Milne, tcrtis, 11. There is a general complaint among sportsmen at the disregard with which the proper time for opening the shooting season was hold by a certain section. Ducks were being ehoi in the vicinity of Wyndham for some days prior to "ike first,' 1 '

Considerable surprise and regret was felt and expressed (says the Wyndham Herald) that the ducks whica are such a beautihxl sight, swarming on the waters of the Wyndham Domain, should have been ruthlessly^ shot at by '"sportsmen" in defiance of the. board's warning notices set up on Saturday. The. board has the law on its side, and is in the mood to make an example of any offender.

Game is fairly plentiful this year (says the Southern Standard), but the number of sportsmen is also great. On a 300 yards stretch of the Waikaka River, for instance, about 18 shooters ensconced themselves, and the guns were banging from long before daylight until the ducks disappeared in the clouds. No big bags are reported.

The Clutha Free Press says that a number of local residents were early afoot on Monday in search of waterfowl. The Puerua Tliver in its lower course through Otanoraomo Swamp was the locality most favoured, and the shootists report gam© plentiful, but shy. The ducks were mostly inclined to fly high, and as the morning was foggy the circumstances did not favour effective shooting. Some of the bags were as follow:— Mr C. J. Wood, three ducks; Mr Robert Mason, three ; Mr Matthews, two ; Messrs A. Buchanan, R. B. Lattimore, and W. Kinder, one each. At theWaitahuna River Mr John Begs? and another secured 12 ducks, se?en falling to Mr Begg's gun. Messrs Moreton, Currie, and Thompson visited Lake Tuakitoto, and bagged two ducks and several pukekos. Report reaches us (says Jie Milton Mirror) that on Saturday ducks were in hundreds on Kaitangata Lake, and from the number of shots heard and the disturbed .vtate of the birds, it was evident that some sportsmen (save -the name) did not wait until the season commenced.