Bird shooting season in Aotearoa

Studies estimate that up to 33% of birds shot are not killed instantly. This is, in part, because hunters typically use shotguns, which discharge a spray of small metal pellets rather than a single projectile. While this spread increases the chance of hitting a fast-moving bird, it also makes shotgun injuries particularly cruel. Birds caught on the outer edge of the pellet spread may be struck by only one or two pellets — often enough to cause serious injury, but not an instant death.
Some injured birds may drown in the water, while others may be captured by shooters or dogs, only to have their necks broken. Birds that manage to escape may face days or even weeks of suffering, eventually succumbing to their wounds or infection.
Despite these concerning realities, no formal inquiries into this issue have been conducted by New Zealand authorities.

Shockingly, the Animal Welfare Act 1999 does not protect “game” birds during shooting season. Instead, Fish and Game NZ are responsible for ensuring hunters comply with the Wildlife Act which makes no mention of any animal welfare protections for Game birds. It is only Fish and Games regulations, which are not enforceable by law, that ask hunters to retrieve injured birds and end their suffering.
Even if these regulations were legally enforceable, ensuring compliance would remain a significant challenge. With hundreds of thousands of birds shot each year, effective monitoring is severely limited. Moreover, allowing Fish and Game to oversee the welfare outcomes of the very birds they promote as hunting targets presents an inherent conflict of interest. The organisation employs just 73 staff across the entire country and relies heavily on members of the public to report breaches, making it virtually impossible to guarantee that all hunters are acting humanely or within ethical standards.