If anyone has been through what we have been through in Victoria in the last few weeks, the Victorian Government's duck shooting announcement is beyond comprehension.

As thousands upon thousands of native animals die in the fires or are shot as they leave their once sanctuary homes, as temperatures soar and climate change bites hard on Victoria’s wetlands, including Ramsar sites, and bird populations plummet:

“As the working week ends, a Friday announcement about the Victorian Government’s plans for duck and quail shooting in the state (and Victoria’s Environment Minister actually supports it)” Andrea Hylands

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What happened in 2024?

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As waterbird populations plummet, the latest East Australian Aerial Waterbird Survey (EAAWS) showed that:

• Wetland area has shrunk dramatically and is well below long-term average;
• Populations of all ‘game’ duck species have crashed to below long- term averages. Most species show significant long-term decline;
• Several species (Black Duck, Mountain Duck, Australasian Shoveler) have contracted in range; and
• Breeding has collapsed. NOTE: We have seen very few baby ducks this year.

While the Victorian Government claims that there were:

• 391,900 ducks shot on hundreds of Victoria’s wetlands;
• By 21,383 licensed duck shooters;
• Who shot an average of 30.3 ducks each.

Stubble Quail did no better:

• 457,400 quail were shot;
• By 25,788 licensed quail shooters;
• Who shot an average of 79.4 quail each.

“Victoria has some of the best game hunting opportunities in Australia. There are generous open seasons and bag limits for duck and quail and about 4 million hectares of public land available for hunting”. Victorian Government

So all up, in 2024 the Victorian Government claims that they have facilitated the death (many more are wounded) of 849,300 native Australian birds for the sole purpose of recreation. This number can be added to the 100 or so Australian species in Victoria being controlled by Authority to Control Wildlife permits (ATCWs) and an increasing commercial trade in wildlife including in National Parks, consuming many tens of thousands of native mammals and birds in the state who die the cruellest of deaths.

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And for 2025

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Total nonsense:

“The Allan Labor Government is ensuring the duck hunting season in Victoria is sustainable, safe and backed by science”.

More total nonsense:

“This year is the first season the Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM) model will be used to guide the daily bag limit in Victoria, with the modelling tailored to Victoria’s unique conditions, habitats and species”.

NOTE: Just for a start, Victoria does not have any unique ‘game’ duck or quail species.

Yet more total nonsense:

“The Labor Government has invested $11.6 million (additional as of 2024) to ensure the proper compliance and enforcement measures are in place so duck hunting remains safe and sustainable into the future”.

In 2025 we can expect yet more violence from, and attempts at baseless prosecutions by the Victorian Government, directed at the public who care about and want, Australia’s birdlife protected.

More and more total nonsense:

“Our wounding reduction action plan will improve animal welfare and is a significant step to make sure recreational hunting can continue sustainably in Victoria”. Victoria’s Environment Minister, Steve Dimopoulos

We won’t of course mention bird flu, now active in Victoria (H7N8) and H5N1 on the doorstep. We can only hope that the shooters handling the vast number of dead and dying wild birds, including decapitating them, are not working in poultry farms.

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So what does the 2025 season look like in Victoria?

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“From the shooters point of view, all things considered and in the modern era, this is the most generous announcement of all time, for what remains of Victoria’s birdlife, occurring at the worst of all possible times. The Victorian Government and their shooter mates have really got it sewn up.”  Peter Hylands

This, despite most of Victoria’s Labor politicians and the majority of Victorians not wanting the locking up of Victoria’s wetlands (which are now too dangerous to visit) for months on end, and the mass slaughter of Australia’s birdlife, to cease.

Given the climate risks and uncertainty, the worst of all is this statement from Steve Dimopoulos:

“We’re also giving hunters certainty about future seasons with the dates for the next three years set out in the Wildlife (Game) Regulations”.

• Seven game duck species are permitted to be hunted during the 2025 season. Species permitted are Pacific Black Duck, Mountain Duck, Chestnut Teal, Grey Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Wood Duck and Hardhead. The Blue-winged Shoveler cannot be hunted;
• Anything goes when there are not enough ducks to kill: As more and more species are added to the threatened species list in Australia, the Hardhead in Victoria is delisted;
• Season open – 8.00 am on 19 March 2025;
• Season closes – 30 minutes after sunset on Monday, 9 June 2025;
• Daily bag limit of nine (9) game ducks per day for the 2025 season. NOTE: Since 2000 highest daily bag limit was 10, prior to 1988 it was 20;
• The hunting start time is 8:00 am until 30 minutes after sunset for the first five days (19-23 March, inclusive), then from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset for the remainder of the season; and
• Regulations require hunters to make all reasonable efforts to immediately retrieve all downed game ducks and to salvage at least the breast meat from all harvested ducks.

Among other arrangements:

• The season opens on the third Wednesday in March each year (mid-week opening). NOTE: Mid-week opening limits protests by diffusing large gatherings of shooters and protesters;
• The hunting start time for the first five days of each season is 8:00 am;
• Changing the hours that non-authorised people (the general public) are prevented from entering specified hunting areas to 11 am for the first five days of the duck season;
• Two new gundog breeds may be used for duck hunting, including Wirehaired Slovakian Pointer and Murray River Retriever;
• Blue-winged Shoveler has a year-round closed season and may not be hunted; and
• Exemptions allowing the use of lead shot for duck hunting in Damascus and twist-barrelled shotguns have been removed.

At time of writing no wetland closures (to hunting) had been announced.

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Stubble Quail in 2025

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• From 2025 lead shot is banned;
• Season opens on the first Saturday of April and closes on the last day of June, each year. Hunting is permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset throughout the season; and
• Maximum of 20 birds per day can be shot by each shooter.

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Children and nature

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Most jurisdictions think about education when it comes to children and the natural world, and that includes waterways and other wetlands, including Ramsar Sites, but not in Victoria it seems.

Not only is the Victorian Government promoting the idea of shooting birdlife for recreation once the children reach 12 years old, the government has also dreamed up a major scheme, which apart from being out of time and well outside the interests of most children, the Victorian Government has spent up big on giving away 95,000 fishing rods to primary school children in Victoria in a program it calls Young Anglers. In what is yet more pointless cruelty and probable killing, and a major pollution hazard for birdlife with its lead and nylon line. This time to introduce even younger children to the sport. The cost at least $1.5 million.

“Little Angler Kits are the perfect way for primary school aged children to try fishing. They include a rod, reel with line, tackle box, some tackle (including hooks and lead sinkers) and information on how to use them all. The State Government is keen to get more children outside and active, connecting with nature and enjoying time in the great outdoors. Fishing is a great way to do that, which is why the State Government is investing $96 million to improve fishing, boating, piers and aquaculture”.

The fishing line provided in all these fishing kits will stretch nearly all the way from Melbourne to London and yet more lead for Victoria’s waterways.

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