Duck shooters need not be concerned. This duck-shooting season is not going to be shortened and the lead shot exemption remains in Otago, Otago Fish and Game says.
Media coverage in the past week of other regions' changes to the duck-shooting season, which starts on May 4, have confused some people, operations manager Ian Hadland says.
Fish and Game and sports shops had been swamped with inquiries following a Radio New Zealand report about reduced seasons in the North Island.
Some regions in the North Island were down to a four-week season and 10 mallards-per-day limits to help restore their populations, Mr Hadland said.
''Some of their mallard populations have suffered heavily due to climatic conditions including droughts and also land-use changes. Shortening season lengths and lowering bag limits are prudent management measures under the circumstances and should help to sustain gamebird populations in the long term.''
It was not the case in Otago, so the 12-week mallard duck season remained, ending on July 28, and the paradise shelduck had a 16-week season ending in late August.
Monitoring of gamebird populations during the summer showed a minor decrease in numbers but not enough for the Otago Fish and Game Council to consider changes to bag limits or season lengths.
''Mallard populations in particular have held up very well under quite dry conditions.''
Council chief executive Niall Watson said a move by Southland Fish and Game to remove the exemption which allowed smaller shotguns, 20 gauge or less, to use lead shot had created controversy but was not being considered in Otago.
The rationale for allowing the exemption had been that the smaller shotguns were used by junior and female hunters and alternative ammunition was not readily available.
''It's only a small proportion of shotgun users.''
Otago's council did not believe the situation had changed significantly since the rule was established so did not see any reason to change.
