Duck season announced

Arrangements for the 2023 duck season have been announced by the State Government, and reactions to the news have been mixed.

Changes to the duck season were announced on Friday 24 February, with the season shorted to run from 8 am on Wednesday April 26, until Tuesday 30 May.

The 2022 duck season ran from Wednesday 16 March until 30 minutes after sunset on Monday 13 June.

The bag limit will remain at four birds per day.

Both animal rights groups and hunting groups have expressed frustration at the changes, with the former wanting duck hunting banned altogether, and the latter opposing a shortened season.

Animal rights group Animals Australia started a petition in response to the decision – which at the time of writing has nearly 56,000 signatures – urging the Victorian Government to ban duck shooting, as Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland have over the past few decades.

“Sadly, new research has revealed that ducks are among the native species struggling to thrive. According to the most recent annual Aerial Survey of Waterbirds in Eastern Australia, populations of ‘game’ species of ducks are still dire, despite the record setting rainfall. Devastatingly, 6 of 8 ducks who the Government allows to be killed for recreation, have been found to be in serious long-term decline,” Animals Australia wrote on the petition’s webpage.

“As the announcement of a 2023 season is made, we look back on a year that saw an ‘open season’ of 90 days, that killed over 320 000 ducks, not including the estimated 1 in 4 wounded and left to die on the wetlands.”

But hunters and their representatives – among them the National Party – have denounced the move.

In a media release, Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien said he was “alarmed at the Government’s language in making the announcement which seems to indicate future plans to ban the practice altogether”.

“The decision outlined on the Game Management Authority’s website refers to a ‘more precautionary approach’ and ‘poor behaviour by some hunters…’ among other matters. This is an insult to the vast majority of law-abiding hunters who do the right thing and sustainably harvest ducks every year. The government’s own figures show 99.9 per cent compliance on bag limits last season,” Mr O’Brien said.

“There is no new evidence to justify a decision like this on the basis of hunter behaviour, and the environmental conditions for duck breeding and habitat are among the best we’ve seen for decades.

“This decision is akin to banning cars because a few people speed or drink and drive.”

The State Government has also announced it will form a Legislative Council Select Committee to examine recreational native bird hunting, given the issue has become “increasingly contested” over the past number of years.

The motion to establish the committee, which will hold public hearings to hear from hunting associations, animal welfare groups, and regional communities, will be moved in the Legislative Council during the next sitting week.

A final report will be due to be tabled by 31 August this year if it passes.