b'HUNTINGMatty, stay still mate we have incoming! I heard him whisper out.I stayed still but surely my camo wasnt that good while sitting in a dull, grey boat in the open water!morning on the country road to the farm south of Te Kopuru and we drove down into a large gully that was ringed by large pines, manuka and scrub.The dam was more like a lake!It was huge and I could see why Todd had commented it was tricky at times with the birds landing too far out and they needed help with more shooters. I was to be the help, as I was soon to find out.About 20 mallards got off the water as we got closer, a good sign and Todd had been feeding out some maize in autumn so we hoped they would return when the shooting started on Saturday.Todd showed me where he thought I should sit and he was positioned about 100m across on the far side, while Xavier and his sister Ireina would be to my far left.The ducks would typically come in and usually head to the far western or eastern ends of the lake or right in Xavier poses with the mornings shoot. the middle!It would make sense if they (Fish andTell-tale signs of a pheasant Game Council), moved the start ofwith tail mark dragging after shooting to Queens Birthday in June, asfootprints in the sand.this would give 3-days of shooting and better bird numbers with the weather starting to turn with winter arriving.The cost of a license and ammo combined with shortened seasons, lower bird limits and the weather issues is seriously putting off many hunters to throw in the duck hunting experience.It is a bad sign for the future if we lose so many hunters and something to consider.SUNNY OPENINGMy hunting for opening weekend was again looking grim with fine weather forecast as I drove up to Dargaville on the Thursday to get ready for the weekend.I was going to join local Todd Warmington and his son Xavier on their large dam.Todd met me on Friday 82FISHING IN GODZONE JULY/AUGUST 2022'