Getting kind of concerned that the powers that be may can our game-bird hunting season this year, due to open first weekend of May.
I'm sure some A-hole cop will be advising our Prime Minister that if internal travel is restricted to essential only as we ramp up our Covid-19 response and hunting is canned especially the game-bird season, then our principal valid reason for owning firearms will be gone, hey good chance to get rid of firearm ownership especially those pesky semi-auto shotguns that comply with our new rules. Well why restrict to that, all shotguns!!!!!!

Its not up to the govt. Fish and agme won't close the season unless there is a very good reason, and plenty of shooters hunt on their own land. I dont see this happening other than general lockdown and isolation rules.

quote:

Originally posted by shankspony:
Its not up to the govt. Fish and agme won't close the season unless there is a very good reason, and plenty of shooters hunt on their own land. I dont see this happening other than general lockdown and isolation rules.

The latest lockdown if it goes more than the planned four weeks will skittle the season as non-essential travel is going to be restricted. Heading off out of your district loaded up with shotguns, ammo, camo gear and maybe a boat is not likely to be seen as essential. Hopefully the season won't be canned so at least we can hunt on our own land or in our own proximity. I usually do opening weekend in Methven, a 6 hour road trip away from here but can also get good evening pass shooting for duck and swan about 5 minutes from home.

I'll die of trigger starvation if I can't get the duck season in, specially opening weekend where me, my two sons, and a couple of their mates usually down 80-90 birds, mostly on opening morning

Apparently Fish & Game are in deliberation currently to decide if the 2020 season can be extended in some areas...??
At least that's what I hear. Can't vouch for any truth at all...

Yep lots of possibilities and eventualities have been put forward by staff at fish and game. Just a wait and see right now but I know they are trying to salvage, in worst case some sort of opening.

I get ezines from your Fish & Game and am impressed that they care about your mental wellbeing at least enough to suggest stuff you can be doing in lockdown.

Have seen nothing like that from our lot.

I hope they don't go for an opening weekend while we can't travel outside our own district as a large proportion of duck shooters only do opening weekend with many like myself travelling outside their own area to meet up with friends and family to shoot the better big water areas.
I've got a good evening fly by shooting area five minutes drive from my home but not so sure I would spend $90-$100 for a season licence just to shoot that. The big opening weekends are the highlight of a duck shooter's year.
Come on Jacinda no more gnashing of teeth just let us out of jail to get on with some hunting.

Well today was it and a complete fizzer. As my younger son said earlier this morning, we might have had a hundred birds on the ground by now if it had been a normal year.
First Saturday in May has been nation wide opening day for our duck season for longer than I'm old, and I feel 100 today. Opening weekend delayed until later may or even into June. Unfortunately it seems the season will open when we still can't travel out of our region and that will be a real bummer for many who do travel to other regions to be with family and friends and hit the big water.

Then again who will stop us travelling if we have a shotgun out from each window on my ute and one riding shotgun on the back.
Just have to reminisce about last years opening morning.
Mixed bag 2019

Grandson enjoys the hunt, about ready for a 410 this year I think.

Yes, sadly Duck opening in Victoria was this weekend, but it came and went with the only people on public land habitat being enforcement officers looking to fine people braking the lock-down rules.

Yep, sad that duck shooters aren't out there as usual this weekend enjoying the opening.
I've been thinking of duck dinners this weekend. In our household duck breast is a much appreciated game meat and we usually clean up our season's take in quick order. I missed last years' opening but my son shot, taking a good bag. Unfortunately all that meat is still in a South Island freezer. All we have left at home is duck feet. Some going into the soup pot tonight. Oh well.... something at least.

Never eaten feet off of waterfowl. I have seen African Americans eat chicken feet. Guess it is the same.

quote:

Capt. Purvis

posted 05 May 2020 00:54

Never eaten feet off of waterfowl. I have seen African Americans eat chicken feet. Guess it is the same.

The same in the sense they are both feet I guess. But I prefer chicken feet because there is more of a feed from them. A number of ways of cooking them makes them interesting too. Eating ducks feet takes longer due to the work in your mouth separating edible tissue from multiple bones.

Ye ha, all going well and we go to Covid L2 with domestic travel opened up we will have our opening weekend around 23rd May and able to travel down to our normal shooting spot.
Beautiful cloudless sunny and warm day here today, seems everyone out at the beach or on the water, tonnes of people out walking or biking, lined up for their coffees, all trying to maintain some sort of physical distancing but pretty well back to normal apart from most shops still closed.

I think the PM and her Government realise unless they start lifting restrictions now they won't be in power after the elections later this year. The lock-down has worked but civil disobedience will take over if restrictions are continued more than the 6 weeks lock-down we have had