Duck bag limits increase

Daily bag limits on the number of ducks shooters can take have been increased from two to five for the upcoming season that starts late next month.

Victoria’s Game Management Authority has announced the new bag limits as well as removing its previous prohibition on hunting teal species.

The duck season will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26, and close on Monday, June 14.

Other than on opening day hunting can start an hour before sunrise but must end no later than an hour after sunset.

Member for Eastern Victoria Jeff Bourman of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party gained support from the Upper House to have all documents tabled relating to decisions initially announced by the GMA and adopted by the government.

He said in recent years there had been little or no data shown by the government on which it based decisions to modify seasons and bag limits.

Mr Bourman said last week’s amendments showed something was wrong with the “science” used to determine the annual duck hunting season.

Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh said Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas should go a step further and immediately open the season rather than wait for another month.

The evidence shows favourable seasonal conditions have supported sustainable duck populations this year, he said.

Mr Walsh said the state government had “punished” duck shooters year after year by ignoring the science in efforts to stamp out a legal, legitimate recreational activity that generates about $356 million for the state economy.