Fish & Game officer Bruce Quirey said its rangers from across the region had been reporting decent conditions for duck-shooting, although some areas had benefited more from the winds than others.
"We have had a really successful opening weekend in terms of good weather, good breezy conditions to get a few ducks moving, particularly here over on the coastal areas."
He said many inland areas had experienced milder breezes, resulting in fewer ducks taking to the skies.
Mr Quirey said the region’s duck-shooters had been experiencing a "mixed result" in terms of duck numbers, which was no different from any other opening weekend.
"I checked a mai mai yesterday, mid-afternoon, where 59 birds had been shot between three hunters down here on the Taieri.
"Most people were getting birds, but sometimes in low numbers."
He said Fish & Game rangers had noticed some duck-shooters making "simple mistakes" that could have been costing them a chance at bagging more birds.
"Just simple mistakes with setting out the decoys or not camouflaging their mai mais properly or parking their vehicle nearby without covering it up."
Mr Quirey said Fish & Game was very pleased with the high compliance among more than 5000 duck-shooters in Otago, but confirmed two duck-shooters had been caught without an appropriate hunting licence.
"They’ve been issued offence notices and their guns have been seized for now."
Mr Quirey said he could not comment on what would follow, but said the offence notices would be processed through Fish & Game’s compliance system.
"All in all we see the day as a real success", he said.
Duck-shooters were not the only ones getting out to mark the start of the season.
Mrs Moore said the group tradition had started over a decade ago, and typically involved a day of drinking and group activities she stressed did not include duck-shooting.
Mrs Marnane said the event’s destination changed each year and had taken them as far as Auckland for the 10-year anniversary last year.
"We generally end up in a small town, somewhere with a pub.
"So yeah, we’re just winging it. It’ll be fun."
The Otago mallard season continues until July 28, and the upland game bird season opens on June 1.
