It seems like deja vu for animal activists SAFE today as tens of thousands of hunters pick up their guns and shoot ducks for opening weekend of the annual duck shooting season.

Every year SAFE puts out messages condemning the season and they say they are beginning to get more people to listen.

SAFE campaigns manager Marianne Macdonald says they have concerns with young children being taught to shoot and kill, as well as lead shot still being used in lighter guns which can affect waterways.

Ms Macdonald also doesn't believe that the majority of duck shooting is being done to put food on the table.

"This is really, primarily, being done for fun - and it's really unacceptable that this sort of cruelty is going on in this day and age."

Ms Macdonald said she believes it is inevitable that duck shooting will one day be banned in New Zealand when the right people see that it is just killing for the sake of it.

"Thousands of birds are just left to die a slow, lingering death - and it's totally unacceptable. This really is just indiscriminate slaughter."

The Firearms Safety Council hopes that people will act in a safe and careful manner throughout the season.

The interim chair of the council, Joe Green, said it has three key messages for hunters which he hopes are commonsense.

Firstly, firing in a safe direction away from people and property, and secondly making sure the gun isn't loaded when changing positions. These are two easy ways to make sure injuries don't occur.

Mr Green said he is aware that alcohol will be consumed this weekend but reminds shooters to consume it at an appropriate time.

"Don't touch the alcohol until the guns are unloaded and secured away where they're meant to be."

The Council is also asking shooters to be mindful of children.

The average age for a child to start hunting or shooting in this country is nine years old, and Mr Green said the rules are clear when it comes to kids.

He said children must be supervised by a gun license holder and the child should never be shooting at the same time as the supervisor.

"That would be a key message, cause what tends to happen is sometimes people think 'well, I'm shooting there as well, and I can keep an eye on [the children].'

"No, you have to be in a position to take physical control of the firearm."