2025, the deadliest duck shooting opening in Victoria since 2017
Life in the air
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“When it comes to Australian wildlife, we associate Victoria with the stench of death, dead wildlife in the catastrophic fires and recreational slaughter and the dumped viscera of wildlife from commercial exploitation. Drought, fire and flood, and they still keep killing”. Peter Hylands
In 2025 the stench of death in Victoria has been particularly bad. This time it festers in the Melbourne CBD as more than 250 dead waterbirds, including threatened species, were displayed outside the Victorian Premier’s office.
“These birds represent just a tiny fraction of all birds that are illegally shot and left wounded across Victoria. Threatened birds include rare Freckled Ducks and Blue-winged Shovelers were recovered by rescuers in just the first few days of the 2025 duck shooting season, at only two wetlands near Boort in north west Victoria. Sixty wounded birds were treated on-site in a mobile veterinary clinic.” Coalition Against Duck Shooting Campaign Director, Laurie Levy
Laurie goes on to say:
“With Victoria’s massive debt, instead of misspending public funds of around $11 million this year to support duck shooters who make up less than 0.2 per cent of the state’s population, it is time to follow the three more progressive states of Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, where duck shooting is banned. Victoria could then develop a thriving international First Nations nature-based, cultural tourism industry that would bring millions of dollars into regional Victoria”.
In 2025, dry conditions mean waterbirds in Victoria have fewer places to go and that means a concentration of birdlife on water sources that are still viable as habitat. It also means a concentration of shooters. As a result wildlife rescuers report, that the opening week was a mass slaughter of birdlife with most birds dead, where only a few days ago there were thousands.
In Geelong, duck rescuer, Nat Kopas says:
“The inherent and unavoidably cruel duck shooting outweighs all arguments in favour of keeping a blood sport that only 0.2 per cent of people in Victoria actually want. Add in the negative impact on residents, visitors and tourism opportunities and there is no reason to allow duck shooting to continue. On day one of the season this year, I watched as a duck was shot, mocked and then ignored as she huddled in pain on the shore. I helped rescue her and get her to vet treatment, where an X-ray revealed 3 pellets, fractured wing and a broken pelvis. Without volunteer rescuers this native duck would have been in agony for days until eventual death. This is a common story, it happens every day of the season. But the vast number of wounded are never found”.
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