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NZ SMALL GAME BIRDS
Goats are at home on steep hill slopes, rocky
crags and coastal cliffs and occur in scattered pockets
throughout the country. Numbers are controlled by professional
culling as their rapid spread has earned them the status of a
national pest. Large billy goats carry a good spread of horns (up
to 1.2 metres long), which make a worthy trophy.
Wild sheep, which are descendants of the early merino
breeds, are found in remote mountain country on both main
islands. The sheer size of our high country sheep stations means
that animals escape the muster and hide away in marginal scrub
blocks where rams develop impressive sets of horns. They are
extremely wary and difficult to hunt.
Wallaby were introduced from Australia and are well
established in several locations representing a challenge for
hunters. These animals are highly adaptable and blend in with
their surroundings very effectively.
Rabbits have a universal distribution and are a menace to
farming. Numbers have been reduced in recent years by viral
infections. Their legendary reproduction rate assures their
availability as small game animals. Hares are common on rolling
downland and tussock country.
Opossums have infested almost every bush-covered area in
New Zealand and require extensive poisoning measures to control
their numbers, which may exceed 100 million.
Mustelids (stoats, weasel and ferrets) are deadly
predators of our native bird species. There is an open season for
hunting all species of lesser game in New Zealand.
Waterfowl comprise mallard ducks (estimated 5 million) and
native grey ducks (estimated 1 million), which are the most
prominent birds on natural and artificial ponds, lakes, streams
and marshlands. Also shovelers (known as spoonbill), paradise
ducks (shelducks), black swans and Canada geese are fair game.
All these birds are distributed widely throughout the country and
are hunted in season on game bird licences.
Upland game birds include pheasant, Californian quail,
brown quail, chukar and partridge. The partridge has only been
liberated in recent years but is already well established. These
birds are common to most regions and are also hunted in season on
game bird licences.
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