Thread: The first weekend in May.............

...........Havent missed one in the last 58 yrs..........started accompanying my dad when I was just a few years out of triangular trousers.

Weather pattern is excellent today for where I shoot, (Hoteo side of the Kaipara). Strong Northeast winds, overcast with real possibility of rain. Just checked back through my hunting diary......the last time the tides and weather were like this, I had my limit within 15 minutes of daylight and shot 9 greenheads and 1 female mallard ( she got caught by the edge of the pattern when I dropped the 9th drake). Used 11 cartridges , the 11th was to finish off the female.
Didnt mind sitting in the boat for another 8 hrs waiting for the tide to come back in so I could head back to the car. Practiced my calling for 3-4 hrs until I had about 80+ birds sitting on the mud within shooting range, then pulled a tarp over my head and dozed with the sounds of birds quacking in my ears.
Went back the following day and had limited out within 35mins of daylight with 10 more drakes.

Going to head to a private block shortly to go for an armed tramp as a substitute. Who would have thought that I would ever go wandering the hills with a rifle on the 1st weekend in May. Certainly not me!

Post up a story guys.......the best or worst opening day you have had. If we cant be there, the next best thing is remembering some of the good/bad/funny times.

Another warm day here in the hills of gisborne, light frost this morning. Glad opening wasn't this morning here.
So how many years has duck shooting been the first weekend of May?

Certainly feels unusual as I should be in the Maimai rather than on the chainsaw doing firewood however, we haven't missed it, it's just been delayed a bit.

Hard to pick out a single event but, heading down south to shoot with the old man not long after we'd trained our Lab. The dog had just got the hang of things and dad hadn't shot over a dog in decades, think he enjoyed that alot and we got our limits too.

Been digging garden. No shots heard. No flights seen.Throw ball for dog now and again.

Strpped and cleaned the a5, just cause.
Would have been a cracker morning here.

Just had two ducks land in our goldfish pond 5 metres from the house.

Been fencing off a pond in the paddock. Went to town first thing, lots of "parries" flying off cut maize paddocks. Excellent morning for being non-opening morning.

Originally Posted by bigbear

Another warm day here in the hills of gisborne, light frost this morning. Glad opening wasn't this morning here.
So how many years has duck shooting been the first weekend of May?

Didnt really pay attention to the dates for the first 10 or so years, my excitement was generated by my fathers preparations. But its been the first weekend in May ever since I can recall. The regs have changed a lot over the years though. 25 bird limit down to 20 then 10. 2 shots then up to 5 now down to 3. Paradise ducks were not on the license back then. Decoys were made by cutting out baseboards, glueing cork on the top then sticking heads that you could buy at Tisdales on them. Oar power to get out on the harbour, the rich guys had mainly seagull outboards or early evinrudes/mercury's and if they were in the hunting group they would tow 2-3 boats out if you were lucky. No camo clothing, just wool pants ( green) and a Swandri on top. No ally dinghies, it was clinkerbuilt timber ones that weighed a ton, SXS shotguns were the norm, a few O/U's and Browning semi autos.

I went for an armed tramp with a armed tramping buddy (who I met on location) Thursday afternoon (with permission from the land owner). Had a great walk, nearly died from lack of fitness and heat exhaustion (had too many layers on thinking I would get cold lol).

But ohhhh, so much enjoyment just getting out there, walking the hills and chatting to a like minded buddy.

Highly recommended therapy for everyone.

I have walked rivers and stalked dams but never really got into duckshooting.
I still like the opening of duckshooting coz it means less people in the bush hunting, I consider it the end of the roar, and safer to hunt public land.

My nephew shot a stag on private land backing on to the Kaimais. He would never normally be hunting deer at this time of the year as he has been shooting ducks with his old man since he was a young fella.

drove through Fairlie at dawn...gobsmackingly beautiful it was...the autumn colours were absolutely stunning in the first light....felt weird not sitting in maimai....perfect day too.wind ALL day....we havent seen that in 20 years of openings.

Originally Posted by stug

Just had two ducks land in our goldfish pond 5 metres from the house.

Attachment 138372

from there to the oven aint too far if you get my drift...

overcast here but hot Nor wester -spoke with GSPF-my estimation -out on ellesmere the mallards would be at 10,000"cackling their tits off at our frustration!!
actually not 200m from me a mob of about 12-15 mallards seem to be domiciled in someones back yard -aint seen em in a couple of weeks-hmmm.Might ease some boredom with the duck call sonata in Olt mallard minor!!

Watched a big mob of Canada's fly over this morning, quickly joined by another smaller mob. So by the time they were overhead and in shooting range there would have been 40 birds. My first thought was .... who put them up?

There hadn't been any shots,,,, just my whistful immagination.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

drove through Fairlie at dawn...gobsmackingly beautiful it was...the autumn colours were absolutely stunning in the first light....felt weird not sitting in maimai....perfect day too.wind ALL day....we havent seen that in 20 years of openings.

must be bloody marvellous place micky d for their pies to be $8.90 each.
I thought the bloody garage lady was jokin.
cant wait till my licence is renewed and can get out
june be better give the vettor a chance to get round and them to get my licence to me.