Shortened Victorian duck hunt set to go ahead in May, angering animal activists and the Opposition

The Victorian Game Management Authority has announced that the Victorian duck hunting season will run for 20 days from May 26, sparking anger from animal rights activists, who want it banned, and the Nationals, who called it a ban by stealth.

The independent hunting regulator says the shortened season would be open from May 26 and run until June 14 despite calls for a ban.

The season was curtailed last year due to coronavirus restrictions, bushfires and because of a reduced number of ducks due to weather conditions.

This year, hunters will be allowed a daily bag limit of two game ducks per day for the entire season.

The move has angered Greens MP Samantha Ratnam, who said the hunt was going ahead despite community opposition and declining numbers.

‘Tokenistic’ duck hunting season

Andy Meddick from the Animal Justice Party said he was “beyond disappointed” that the season was going ahead because aerial surveys indicated bird numbers were down by almost a quarter.

“The fact that the Government has declared hunters are only allowed to kill two birds per day and have a shortened season shows there is significant concern for the numbers of birds,” Mr Meddick said.

“If that’s the case, the only responsible decision would have been to have no season at all and to ban recreational duck shooting in Victoria permanently.”

Laurie Levy from the Coalition Against Duck Shooting, said the decision would not please anyone.

“It is a tokenistic duck shooting season,” he said.

“It’s giving the shooters something that they wanted but it’s not giving them very much of it, so our rescue teams will be out in force again and of course we’ll be doing everything we can to keep birds away from the guns,” he said.

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Government ‘selling out’ to the Greens

The move has also angered Nationals leader Peter Walsh, who said the restricted season was a “move to destroy hunting in Victoria by stealth”.

“With current data showing duck numbers are at a sustainable level and following above-average rainfall in eastern Australia in the past 12 months, the hunting community had looked forward to a full 12-week season — as legislated,” he said.

“Instead, the Andrews Labor Government has ignored the science and moved to regulate a recreational activity that generates $356 million for our state out of existence.”

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Mr Walsh said the Government was “selling out any Victorian to secure radical green votes in the city.”

Last year, around 60,4000 ducks were killed, about a quarter of the number shot in 2019.

Hunters were allowed to kill seven of the eight game duck species, including the Pacific black duck, the mountain duck, chestnut teal, grey teal, pink-eared duck, wood duck and hardhead.

A ban was placed on killing the blue-winged shoveler due to low numbers.