‘Banding Together’ – boost for duck research

‘Banding Together’ – Hunting & Fishing NZ’s boost for duck research

Game bird hunters are getting some strong encouragement to promptly send in their band details this season – thanks to an initiative from Hunting & Fishing New Zealand.

The nationwide company has weighed in with support for Fish & Game’s banding programme, with the offer of five of its Hunting & Fishing New Zealand Shearwater Gen II waterfowling jackets; hunters who return their band details by August 31, 2014, go in the draw to win one.

Hunting & Fishing New Zealand Marketing Manager, Andy Tannock says the company is pleased to get alongside the programme, “which can only in the long run benefit the hunters who are our customers.

“We’re very keen to help promote the return of duck band details, especially in light of the fresh wave of research projects that Fish & Game has launched into mallard populations.”

He says they’re a “highly appropriate” prize for a Kiwi hunter, as the Matuku camo design was tailor-made for New Zealand conditions – created from high-resolution shots of actual NZ swamp and tussock vegetation.

Mr Tannock describes the jackets as well worth winning, as they’re 100% waterproof and breathable, with heaps of pockets, plus neoprene adjustable cuffs.

“Our message to hunters is simply ‘let’s band together on duck bands.’ The details are a vital part of Fish & Game’s research into mallard ducks, information that goes towards informing management decisions.

“If Fish & Game has better quality information to work with it makes for better and hopefully more liberal decisions regarding season lengths, bag limits and so on.”

Eastern Region senior Fish & Game officer Matthew McDougall says the banding information is simply one part of the research jigsaw, “just one of the tools we’re using to help assess what the different populations are doing, especially now that other projects such as tracking are underway.”

He says the banding helps Fish & Game determine productivity, population sizes, movement, and not least, survival rates for both adults and juveniles of both sexes.
“We’re delighted that Hunting & Fishing New Zealand has launched the promotion to help boost the return of band information.

“We would ask that hunters cooperate more than ever in returning their band details – the data remains crucial and will complement the latest findings from the new projects, including telemetry tracking of mallards.”

Details of the Banding Together prize draw, including how to enter, and the deadline for entries, can be found on Fish & Game’s website – on the hunting page: http://hunting.fishandgame.org.nz

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