Game bird seasons are set for each Fish & Game region in the Gazette. Dates, daily bags and shooting hours for the Nelson / Marlborough region below, last checked 2026-10-12.
Open in the Nelson / Marlborough region today: Pūkeko. Opening soon: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pūkeko Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (Tasman/Golden Bay) | 2 May – 25 Oct 2026 | 20 | Open now | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (Tasman/Golden Bay) | 2 Jan – 21 Feb 2027 | 20 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan | Nelson/Marlborough | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan | Nelson/Marlborough | 8 Aug – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| California quail | Nelson/Marlborough | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Chukar | Nelson/Marlborough | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant Publicly administered land: 2–3 May, 30 May – 1 June, 20–21 June and 18–19 July 2026 only. Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (public land) | Listed days only | 1 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant All privately owned land, including Crown forest land. Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (private land) | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 1 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | 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. | Nelson/Marlborough | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 8 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| NZ shoveler duck | Nelson/Marlborough | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (except Tasman/Golden Bay) | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (Tasman/Golden Bay) | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 15 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (except East Coast/Kaikoura and Tasman/Golden Bay) | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko Tasman/Golden Bay: west of the Bryant/Gordon Range and north of SH63 from St Arnaud to Kawatiri Junction. East Coast/Kaikoura: south of the Awatere Valley/Molesworth Road and the Redwood Pass Road. | Nelson/Marlborough (East Coast/Kaikoura) | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm during May, then 6.45am to 6.15pm until 25 August (the notice prints 2024). For the rest of the pūkeko season, sunrise to sunset. | 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, Central South Island, Eastern, Hawke's Bay, North Canterbury, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wellington, West Coast.