Ducky AGM

Last night the Upper Piako wetland Management Association held its AGM. Turnout was good, but again, as with EPCM meeting last October, the demography was staggering. 95% of attendees would have been over 40 years of age. I don’t know what to read into this as it was not a school night (holidays), but I can’t help but think that we’re still not recruiting youngsters into our shooting sports. While no one new stood for any of the seats on the committee, it seems that the vibe was overall one of being relatively happy with the direction of the group. The DOC guy presented on hydrology and “herbography” (god I’m lost for the word…. Hmmm) studies undertaken on the Kopuatai peat dome, and it was good to see some results from the funds levied from area users being put to work. Topography of the overall wetland is staggeringly interesting if you’re into that stuff, with quite an array of differences above mean sea level. There are 2 quite distinct epi-centric “humps” if you like, one in the north of the block, the other at south eastern side. On the vegetation front, I got the impression that DOC had learned that mass boom spraying of grey and crack willow trees is a stupid idea, simply leading to encroachment of surface growing noxious weeds. Lots of noxious weeds. The blackberry infestation at the Willow Pond is a direct result of the removal of the willow canopy. Anyway, they won’t be doing that anymore; as Mr. Doc said they simply can’t control the willow population seed crop with spray. The hydrology stuff was interesting; our ponding sites are one of 9 locations chosen for attention. Mr. Doc really needs a history lesson, but he seemed quite casual about it when dad offered advice & support. Personally I felt uneasy about the guy. At least for the first time there’s an indication that Doc want water kept in at sustainable levels all year around.
Went to Rick’s work yesterday for a chat. Like a duck shooter’s convention it was; Lance Faulkner, John Fraser, Aj and a few others surrounded by dekes, ammo, camo… great stuff! John Fraser is a police dog handler and a gun SWF angler, so we had a good catch-up about happenings involving marker buoys, rocky headlands and line ripping kingis. Cool.
Paul emailed this morning that we have only 22 sleeps to the BIG DAY.  Excitement is building!