Game bird seasons are set for each Fish & Game region in the Gazette. Dates, daily bags and shooting hours for the Auckland / Waikato region below, last checked 2026-10-12.
Nothing in the table below is open in the Auckland / Waikato region today. Opening soon: Paradise shelduck, Pūkeko.
Status is worked out from the agency dates each day. Always confirm on the official agency page before you hunt.
| Species | Region | Dates | Bag | Status | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise shelduck Special season. Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (north of Auckland Harbour Bridge) | 20 Feb – 21 Feb 2027 | 15 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko Special season. Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (north of Auckland Harbour Bridge) | 20 Feb – 21 Feb 2027 | 10 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan The region west of State Highway 1 and north of State Highway 22 (Glenbrook Road), Constable and Karioitahi Roads. Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (west of SH1, north of SH22) | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 20 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan In the Otorohanga, Waitomo and Ruapehu District Council areas within the region, and the Aotea Harbour. Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (Otorohanga, Waitomo, Ruapehu, Aotea Harbour) | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 5 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan No black swan may be hunted on the Waikato hydro lakes Karapiro, Arapuni and Waipapa. Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (all other areas) | 2 May – 14 Jun 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Bobwhite quail Bobwhite, California and brown quail share this limit line in the notice. | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Brown quail Bobwhite, California and brown quail share this limit line in the notice. | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| California quail Bobwhite, California and brown quail share this limit line in the notice. | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 3 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Grey/mallard duck Includes hybrids. No duck may be hunted on Great Barrier Island. | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 14 Jun 2026 | 8 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| NZ shoveler duck No duck may be hunted on Great Barrier Island. | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 14 Jun 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (south of Auckland Harbour Bridge) | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Magazine shotguns must hold no more than 3 shells in total. Lake Waikare, Rotokauri, Ngaroto, Cameron and Mangakaware have stand and decoy rules; see the notice. | Auckland/Waikato (north of Auckland Harbour Bridge) | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 25 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Red-legged partridge | Auckland/Waikato | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.15pm. The notice gives 6.30am to 8.00pm for paradise shelduck and pūkeko on 13–14 February 2027. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
Public conservation land
Always confirm dates and rules with Department of Conservation before you hunt.
See hunting areas, public land boundaries and season dates for New Zealand on an offline map in the HuntScout app.
Back to New Zealand hunting seasons. Other regions: Central South Island, Eastern, Hawke's Bay, Nelson / Marlborough, North Canterbury, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wellington, West Coast.