b'Hunting Decked out in Spika camouflage on the first day and at 7am with no birds in sight, the writer was getting worried.Editor Matt Hewetson headed to Northland for opening weekend in early May, with a wet and windy forecast that might be the first in years for the region for the start of duck shooting.D argaville on the westshooting and we usually gave upexcited for a good opening weekend.coast of Northlandon the Sunday and went fishingI set up the decoys and our positions is my hometowninstead.This year however, afterwhere we would hide using good where I grew upthe heavy rain from Cyclone Tamcamouflage in the flax and scrub duck shooting on myin mid-April refilled ponds and withalong the steep banks of the dam.grandfathers beef andmore rain with fierce winds forecastThe water level of the dam was sheep farm.I returnfor the end of April into May, itdown considerably from previous there every year tolooked like the weather for duckyears, but as it is a large stretch of shoot on a family friends farmhunters was changing for the better. water, it now meant it was easier on the coast and this year therefor just two hunters to cover, when was concern that duck numbersSETTING UP 3-4 hunters were better when the may be down after a droughtI spent the week up in Dargaville,dam was full.Derek Bradley was with little rain since December. staying at Baylys Beach as wecoming up from Auckland to shoot On top of this potential issue, thehelped support the local Kauri Coastfor the first time in a few years and previous years for opening weekendsSurfcasting Contest over Anzac Dayhe arrived on Friday night having in Northland had seen calm andweekend.The heavy rain and windmade his way north through the sunny weather, not suited for duckfrom MondayThursday had meafter-work traffic leaving the city.64FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE'