It’s time to ban duck shooting

During the ‘shooting season’, peaceful wetlands that are havens for wildlife are transformed into brutal killing grounds for native waterbirds.

Recreational hunting refers to the pursuit and killing of animals for leisure, enjoyment, or entertainment. The words “leisure”, “enjoyment”, and “entertainment” should never be associated with the brutal massacre and unfathomable suffering of animals. Despite an increase in support for a ban on recreational duck shooting, Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia continue to allow the seasons to go ahead. In addition to this, the regulations in place are failing the animals. 

Duck shooters aren’t required to pass a shooting accuracy test.

Despite the Government’s claims that the recreational slaughter of ducks is heavily monitored, the rules in place show this is far from true. Duck shooters are not required to pass a shooting accuracy test. This means individuals can shoot at birds without any prior training.

A shooter survey in Victoria found that 84% of shooters didn’t know how to kill ducks that they had shot and injured. This means that if a hunter collects an injured bird, they are likely to cause additional and prolonged pain and suffering.

Duck shooters are required to sit a Waterfowl Identification test. However, in Victoria, they only need to achieve 85% accuracy and identify all non-game species. In Tasmania, hunters only need a 71% accuracy rate and do not need to identify protected species. They also only need to sit this test once, meaning some hunters may have completed the test over 25 years ago. Additionally, juniors (12-17 year olds), and non-Australian residents are not required to sit the test – leaving protected species at risk of being shot or injured.

It is estimated that 406,000 individuals were killed or left injured during the 2022 duck shooting seasons.

In 2022, is estimated that over 260,000 ducks were killed during the 2022 duck shooting season in Victoria, an estimated 50,000 ducks in Tasmania, and 40,000 in South Australia. While the government’s place restrictions on the number of birds a shooter can kill in a day, the Coalition Against Duck Shooting rescue team regularly finds pits or mass graves, with discarded bodies. Shooters bury the bodies to avoid being fined for killing more ducks than the permitted legal bag limit.

Rescuers found a pit of buried ducks | 2022
Credit: Coalition Against Duck Shooting

The Game Management Authority has acknowledged that wounding rates can be between 6 and 40%. This means that in 2022, between 15,700 and 105,000 ducks in Victoria, between 3,000 and 20,000 in Tasmania, and between 1,600 to 16,000 in South Australia, were left wounded and suffering.

Killing a duck outright requires hitting vital organs, which is incredibly difficult, even for experienced shooters. Shotguns fire a cluster of pellets, which results in wings and other parts of their bodies being hit, injuring but not killing them. As injured ducks fall from the sky, they disappear into the water or surrounding shrubbery. Many drown, but others die from starvation, the elements, or predators. Wounded birds with broken wings, open wounds, shattered bills, and punctured organs, can suffer for hours, days, or weeks before succumbing to their injuries.

"many veterinarians have attended duck shoots to tend to injured birds and have been appalled at the extent and nature of injuries inflicted including severely damaged bills, leg and wing injuries, as well as muscle and tissue damage.

RSPCA 

Wounded duck, rescued by CADS | 2021
Credit: Coalition Against Duck Shooting

Protected species are not safe.

With no accuracy tests and minimal authority present on the wetlands, protected, rare, and non-game species are caught in the crossfire. Every year, the Coalition Against Duck Shooting finds their bodies and reports them to the authorities. 

Duck shooting disrupts the natural behaviours of animals, and can cause displacement.

The presence of hunters and the terrifying sound of gunshots in an area can cause native waterbirds and other animals to flee or alter their natural behaviour, such as nesting, feeding, and mating. This can affect breeding patterns and cause displacement of animals from their homes. This can have negative impacts on the reproductive success and overall population dynamics of many species, and for the eggs and other baby animals who are abandoned. The stress and trauma from the noise, loss of mates and flock members, and disturbances to their homes impact the overall health and wellbeing of waterfowl species.

Native waterbird numbers are at an all-time low.

The 2021 Annual Summary Report of Aerial Survey of Wetland Birds in Eastern Australia (‘EAWS’) presents a concerning outlook for wetland bird populations.

  • Waterbirds continue to show significant declines since 1983;

  • Total waterbird abundance in 2021 decreased from 2020 and remains well below average (it is the 3rd lowest it has been in 39 years);

  • Nearly half (48%) of surveyed wetlands supported no waterbirds;

  • The abundance of all game bird species fell significantly below their long-term averages, with some declining by as much as ten times.

Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania need to do better.

A growing number of Australians are against the recreational slaughter of native wildlife, yet Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australian governments continue to permit the slaughter. Less than 1% of Victorians and South Australians, and 2% of Tasmanians hold shooting licenses. While 66% of Victorians , and 73% of South Australians are in support of a ban on recreational duck shooting.

It’s already been banned in NSW, WA, QLD, NT.

Three states have already taken action to ban the recreational slaughter of native ducks. Western Australia was the first to take action in 1990, followed by NSW in 1995, and Queensland in 2005. Animal Liberation, with the help of our compassionate supporters, played a vital role in the NSW ban. Every year, groups of dedicated activists headed out to the wetlands, rescuing injured birds and documenting cruelty. We also lobbied the NSW government relentlessly.

…duck shooting is not a sport and the slaying of water fowl is not a measure of human skill…

Former Premier, Bob Carr | 2019

How you can help

  1. Support the Coalition Against Duck Shooting:

    • Every season, compassionate people head out to the wetlands to rescue injured birds and document the cruelty they witness. If you are able to assist, contact CADS today here .

    • Donate to help their rescue crew and campaigning efforts.

  2. Sign the petition supporting our submission to the Select Committees inquiry into the hunting of native birds in Victoria.

  3. Write a personalised submission to the Select Committees inquiry into the hunting of native birds in Victoria, click here.

  4. If you live in Victoria, Tasmania, or South Australia, write a polite but urgent letter to your local MP, letting them know that:

    • Duck shooting should not be allowed to continue on peaceful wetlands.

    • The suffering and cruelty is unacceptable and that native animals deserve better.

    • Having wounding rates between 4-60% is unacceptable.

    • Wildlife and residents do not want the sound of gunshots in their homes.

    • Native animals deserve proper protection