Duck Shooting

From the first weekend in May until July, hunters in New Zealand are allowed to shoot ducks for sport. This is called the duck shooting season. Hunters have to get a licence and can kill only a limited number of ducks each day.

There are only three types of ducks people can shoot, to keep the numbers of ducks and their species balanced. The most common one is the Mallard, which is known as an invasive species as it has been breeding with native ducks which are now at risk of becoming extinct. Another reason for the reduced numbers of local species is that people used to hunt ducks too much, including the rarer native ducks.

Although many New Zealanders enjoy duck hunting, many others oppose it. One of the reasons is that many ducks are not killed quickly and may die a slow, painful death. SAFE, an animal protection organisation, is calling for a ban on duck shooting.

Another problem with the shooting season is the number of injuries from careless use of guns. There are regular reports in the news about injuries to hunters and sometimes to other people nearby. Recently three workers in Blenheim got a big fright when a duck hunter accidentally shot through the walls of their factory. Although no-one was hurt, the hunter was arrested and will go to court.

However, despite these problems, duck is still a popular food for many New Zealanders. It is commonly found in Chinese restaurants and one famous burger restaurant offers grilled duck on its menu, but only in the duck shooting season.

Contributed by Chris Mahoney

Questions to think about

What is the attraction of duck shooting?
What is the attraction of deer hunting?
What can a) hunters and b) the NZ government do to limit the number of accidents in the duck shooting season?