Game bird seasons are set for each Fish & Game region in the Gazette. Dates, daily bags and shooting hours for the Northland region below, last checked 2026-10-12.
Nothing in the table below is open in the Northland region today. Opening soon: Black swan, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black swan Special season. No hunting within 300 m of urban sewage oxidation ponds, or on the listed Fish & Game wetlands. | Northland | 20 Feb – 28 Feb 2027 | 20 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck Special season. No hunting within 300 m of urban sewage oxidation ponds, or on the listed Fish & Game wetlands. | Northland | 20 Feb – 28 Feb 2027 | 25 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko Special season. No hunting within 300 m of urban sewage oxidation ponds, or on the listed Fish & Game wetlands. | Northland | 20 Feb – 28 Feb 2027 | 12 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan | Northland | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 20 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Brown quail | Northland | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| California quail | Northland | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 10 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant | Northland | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 5 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Grey/mallard duck Includes any hybrid of that species. | Northland | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 12 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| NZ shoveler duck | Northland | 2 May – 28 Jun 2026 | 3 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck | Northland | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 25 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko | Northland | 2 May – 30 Aug 2026 | 12 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm, except paradise shelduck, pūkeko and black swan on 20–28 February 2027: 6.30am to 8.00pm. | 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, Nelson / Marlborough, North Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wellington, West Coast.