Federated Farmers Southland is encouraging anyone wanting to shoot ducks in Southland this season to buy their licence from another region.

"We want to send a very clear message to Southland Fish & Game that we’re sick of their nonsense," says Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick.

"Farmers have had an absolute guts-full of their anti-farming rhetoric and activism. We need them to start working with farmers instead of actively working against us.

"That’s why we’re encouraging all Southland shooters - not just farmers - to buy their licences outside of the district this season."

Herrick wants to see shooters buy their game bird licences from regions working constructively with farmers, like Hawke’s Bay or Greater Wellington.

"So, if you’ve got mates coming down for duck shooting this season, tell them they’re only welcome in the maimai on opening morning if they’ve supported the boycott."

The licence boycott is the latest effort from Federated Farmers Southland to pull Southland Fish & Game back in line, Herrick says.

Last year he called for local farmers to stop buying fishing licences from Southland Fish & Game, and to remove fishing access by taking down access signs.

He also encouraged farmers to replace Fish & Game access signs with an orange ribbon to show their frustration.

"We get around 5000 hunters coming down to Southland over duck shooting weekend in May. It’s part of our cultural identity," Herrick says.

"If all those people buy their licences out of the region, it will take a fair chuck of money out of Southland Fish & Game’s pockets."

Licences for the 2025 game bird season are on sale now ahead of the season starting in early May. An adult game bird licence for the whole season costs $113.

Herrick says he wants to be very clear that he’s not asking shooters to boycott buying game bird licences altogether - just to buy them from another region.

"We want people to make sure they’re hunting legally, but we’ve got a real aversion to funding an extreme activist group that’s actively working against farmers.

"Southland Fish & Game have been unnecessarily obstructive in so many areas, like opposing farmers from removing gravel that’s built up to dangerous levels in rivers.

"Hopefully this gives the local Fish & Game council a real wake-up call and they start engaging more constructively with farmers."

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