Game bird seasons are set for each Fish & Game region in the Gazette. Dates, daily bags and shooting hours for the West Coast region below, last checked 2026-10-12.
Nothing in the table below is open in the West Coast 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 | West Coast | 27 Feb – 21 Mar 2027 | 4 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck | West Coast (200 m or more from open water) | 27 Feb – 21 Mar 2027 | 15 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko | West Coast | 1 Jan – 21 Mar 2027 | 20 | Opens soon | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Black swan | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 4 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Cock pheasant | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | 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 15. Includes hybrids. | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 15 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| NZ shoveler duck | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 2 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Paradise shelduck | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 15 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | Source: New Zealand Gazette, Open Season for Game in Fish and Game Regions 2026 (2026-sl764) (checked 2026-10-12) |
| Pūkeko | West Coast | 2 May – 26 Jul 2026 | 20 | Last season (2026) Next season not announced yet | 6.30am to 6.30pm (May to July); 5.00am to 10.00pm (January to March). | 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, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Wellington.