b'HUNTINGDuring late morning or early afternoon when the duck shooting is quiet, go for a walk in a valley or scrubby block near your maimai to look for a cock pheasant.I like to plan my opening weekend by starting out earlyPheasants have no down and therefore dislike damp, wet conditions. They favour on the pond shooting greys and mallards until latedry areas, exotic forestry, coastal dunes, morning and when the action drops away near midday, it isand large gullies with scrubby cover. Look for blackberry, lupin, broom, boxthorn, time to stalk areas up on a small quiet pond or even drains. ink weed and briar patches which provide food and cover.Below the pond are lush paddocksWALK GULLIES They have excellent hearing and with good grass growth and last time IAfter the early morning shoot on theeyesight, so successful hunting requires was visiting the farm, there was a dozenpond, with the sun higher I start to thinkboth stealth and surprise.The best paradise ducks feeding out in the open. about heading to a few places whichpheasant hunting conditions are on warm, These are always a good option to targethave gullies, scrub, or a bit of good coverbright days. Sunny spells have the birds with a few silhouettes spread around andclose by to fresh grass pasture.This ismoving about feeding from daybreak stalking up on them if the mallards arentthe pheasants prime strongholds and lastto midday and then again from mid-coming in thick and fast on the pond. year I picked up a couple of nice cocks byafternoon to dusk.During the middle of I like to plan my opening weekend bystalking up on birds out feeding in the sun. the day, they seek thick cover to rest-up, a starting out early on the pond shootingIf you have a dog that is best as theydog is needed to find and flush them here.greys and mallards until late morning andreally help flush and retrieve any wingedIts funny but opening morning for when the action drops away near midday,birds, but I find pheasants arent too wilyduck shooting is the only time I pray for it is time to stalk areas up on a smallon opening weekend as they havent beenwind and rain; it is the best conditions quiet pond or even drains.It alwayschased for a year, so they have let theirfor forcing birds to land and seek cover.surprises how many such spots will holdguard down.I am always surprised byThe last few years hunting in Northland a few ducks.Parries are always foundhow many birds I see and shoot without ait has been perfectly still, sunny days.If sitting out in the open somewhere andgun dog at the start of the season.Theythat happens again this year, well we will can hopefully be stalked up on aroundsure get wise after a few weeks in Maypack up and head to the beach on the the sides of hills or flushed towards yourand shooting is now in full swing andwest coast for a surfcast!Good luck and waiting hunting mates. more hunters start looking for them. safe hunting.FIGZ96FISHING IN GODZONE MAR/APR 2021'