Geelong groups call for duck shooting ban

Concerns about duck shooting in increasingly urban areas around Geelong have been raised with a probe into the controversial practice. HAVE YOUR SAY IN OUR POLL.

Police keeping and eye duck shooting opening at Hospital Swamp near Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

Victoria should join other states in banning recreational duck shooting, Geelong groups have told a parliamentary inquiry examining the controversial practice.

The state government announced the inquiry,which has received a record number of submissions with more than 10,000, earlier this year.

Geelong Duck Rescue told the inquiry into Victoria’s recreational native bird hunting arrangementsthat urban areas were expanding and encroaching upon game reserves and other nature areas where duck shooting occurs, making the safety of residents and visitors of paramount concern to everyone.

It pointed to Armstrong Creek as an example.

The group claimed Geelong had a history of shooting outside of the lawful times for the day and relied on rescuers to make reports about illegal shooting.

It alleged the organisation often witnessed duck shooters illegally bringing their children under 12 along to the wetlands.

“We … ask that this inquiry recommends that native bird shooting is banned in Victoria permanently,” the submission said.

This year, a shortened duck hunting season took place in Victoria from late April to late May.

Recreational duck hunting was banned in Western Australia and NSW in the 1990s, and Queensland in 2005.

The Geelong Field Naturalists Club told the inquiry it believed that like other states, Victoria should also stop “the unnecessary and environmentally destructive activity” of recreational duck shooting and quail hunting.

“All birds on wetlands where hunting occurs are exposed to panic and ongoing harassment from the noise of continual gunfire and the extra human presence in wetlands during hunting,” its submission said.

It noted that many members of the public experienced some degree of stress or panic from the noise of shotguns.

“Urban encroachment means many wetlands, such as Reedy Lake and Hospital Swamps in the Lake Connewarre State Wildlife Reserve, are so close to urban zones that the noise of gunfire by hunters is now easily audible by nearby residents,” it said.

It noted that during the duck season, a large number of wetlands were no longer able to be visited by non-hunters for much of the day.

“Bird watchers, fishers, botanists and those studying aquatic invertebrates are unable to visit wetlands for most daylight hours,” its submission said.

“Eliminating duck hunting will allow better access to wetlands by the wider public.”

Numerous pro-hunting groups also had their say to the inquiry.

A submission on behalf of the Victorian Game Hunters Association said: “Unfortunately anti -hunting protesters seem to have to right to harass hunters and be obstructive to hunts even though it is unlawful to do so.”

The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia said: “Abandoning regulated duck hunting in Victoria will erase many of the positives which regulation has brought about, such as education, research, and enforcement.”

A report to parliament with findings and recommendations is due by August 31.

Originally published as Geelong groups call for duck shooting ban