Ian Hadland is expecting this year's duck-shooting season to be ''average or slightly above average''.
''We were surprised, because it was so dry over the summer,'' the Otago Fish and Game operations manager said.
''We thought it might have an impact, but we're seeing a lot of birds turning up on open water and it's looking really good.''
But the opening-weekend forecast did not look quite as rosy, Mr Hadland said.
''[It] looks like it's pretty sunny.
''Hunters far and away prefer a bit of wind and low cloud.
''I'm expecting that some hunters are going to find it tough to be hunting all day under those conditions, because the birds will settle down pretty quickly.
''Thankfully, it's a three-month season.''
About 3000 gamebird hunting licences had been sold so far, and Otago Fish and Game expected 4100 licences to be sold in total this season, Mr Hadland said.
''Hunters are notorious for getting their licences at the last minute,'' he said.
Southern District police issued a statement ''urging caution for the opening weekend of duck-shooting, and asking hunters to ensure they focus on firearms safety and the use of alcohol over this period''.
Mr Hadland said hunters combining alcohol and firearms ''is now almost non-existent''.
''Thirty or 40 years ago, you might've seen it,'' he said.
''People's attitudes over hunting and firearms have changed.''
But after the hunting is finished, he said, ''no doubt about it, there's beer consumed''.
The duck-shooting season in Otago begins at 7am today, and ends on July 26.
