POOR OPENING OF DUCK SHOOTING

Southland Times, Issue 23498, 3 May 1938, Page 6

POOR OPENING OF DUCK SHOOTING

Few Took Good Bags Yesterday CLEAR WEATHER SPOILS SPORT With the sky clear and the air frosty and without wind, early-rising sportsmen in all parts of Southland gazed moodily out as they made preparations for the opening of the duck-shooting season yesterday. Their fears of sport below their hopes were fully realized and poor to moderate shooting was reported from all districts. j The sky was cloudless and as daylight came the ducks flew very high, particularly after the first yolleys were fired. Only a few shots were fired by some parties after which the ducks remained far beyond range. The prolonged dry spell had a very marked effect on the lagoons, many of which were almost waterless. This absence of water resulted in a comparative scarcity of birds in inland areas, the ducks being seen in fair numbers only in coastal regions. Many sportsmen went out to the favoured shooting places at Lake Waituna, Awarua Bay, Oporo, Fortrose, Waimatuku and the Invercargill estuary, but in most cases the bags were poor. A party at Thorribury reported seeing plenty of ducks, but said they were flying far too high. Several Invercargill sportmen who went to Lpchiel said they had very little shooting, the bags being the poorest obtained in 15 years of shooting in the particular locality. Many sportsmen decided to wait for another attempt at dusk, but conditions remained much the same then and few birds were brought down. Rain clouds gathered during the evening and the sky was overcast at midnight, so that many sportsmen went to bed determined to make another attempt this morning when conditions promised tc» be more favourable.

No big bags were recorded in the Winton district. The weather was quite unfavourable, the day being bright and sunny after a frost overnight. Only only fairly good bag was reported in the district this being from Oreti. Two Winton sportsmen who were out before daylight near Winton reported shooting only one gray duck and one paradise duck. Another party in the Grove Bush district met with poor results, and other parties reported poor shooting after the first volleys had been fired.

The conditions in Eastern Southland were less favourable than wished for by sportsmen. The day was sunny and clear and the ducks were flying very high after the first few shots had been fired. It was also reported that birds were very scarce in most districts and parties at Mandeville, Otama' Waimea and Waikaka Valley did not meet withi much success. A party of five at Wai- 1 kaka Valley secured only 30 ducks between them, and a party of four on the Mataura river at Mandeville secured 28 birds.

CANTERBURY’S OPENING DAY SPOILED (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, May 2. A clear sky and lack of wind spoilt the opening of the duck-shooting season at Lake Ellesmere, the largest duck area in Canterbury. Smail bags resulted. The Minister of Public Works (the' Hon.'R. Semple) and the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) followed their usual custom of putting in a day’s shooting at the opening of the season.