Game bird seasons are set for each Fish & Game region in the Gazette. Dates, daily bags and shooting hours for the Central South Island region below, last checked 2026-10-12.
Nothing in the table below is open in the Central South Island region today. Opening soon: Grey/mallard duck, Paradise shelduck.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grey/mallard duck Area C is Area B north of the Opihi River. Only over agricultural grain crops and green feed paddocks, and more than 200 m from any water body. 6–7 and 13–14 February 2027. Area A: Lake Wainono and Wainono Reserve area (Hook Beach Road, SH1, Poingdestres Road, Pacific Ocean). Area B: the rest of the region. | Central South Island (Area C, grain and green feed only) | Listed days only | 10 | Opens soon | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck 6–7 and 13–14 February 2027. Area A: Lake Wainono and Wainono Reserve area (Hook Beach Road, SH1, Poingdestres Road, Pacific Ocean). Area B: the rest of the region. | Central South Island (Area B) | Listed days only | 15 | Opens soon | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 5 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Bobwhite quail | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | No limit | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| California quail | Central South Island | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Chukar Subject to the region's chukar hunting conditions in the notice. | Central South Island | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant | Central South Island | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 4 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Grey/mallard duck Aggregate bag of 50 for grey, mallard and shoveler combined, within which no more than 5 grey duck and 2 shoveler. | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 50 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| NZ shoveler duck Counts within the aggregate bag of 50. | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 25 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Area A: Lake Wainono and Wainono Reserve area (Hook Beach Road, SH1, Poingdestres Road, Pacific Ocean). Area B: the rest of the region. | Central South Island (west of State Highway 1) | 27 Jul – 27 Sep 2026 | 25 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko | Central South Island | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.45am to 6.30pm (May to September); 5.30am to 10.00pm (February). | 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: Auckland / Waikato, Eastern, Hawke's Bay, Nelson / Marlborough, North Canterbury, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wellington, West Coast.