No place for bird shooting in modern society

Duck shooting does not deliver what it promises, argues Kerrie Allen.

Hunting ground: The latest Ucomms poll shows that the majority of Victorians want bird shooting banned. Picture: Alison Wynd

OUR native ducks and rural communities have been spared.

Victoria’s recreational bird shoot is delayed, now set to commence in May and run for three weeks.

But whether it’s three months, three weeks or three days, most believe bird shooting has no place in a modern society.

Less than half of 1 per cent of the population shoot birds. Not a single Victorian electorate has more than 2.48 per cent of voters who shoot birds. Most electorates have between zero and half of 1 per cent.

Conversely, the latest Ucomms poll (January 2021) shows the majority of Victorians want bird shooting banned and the strongest support for a ban came from regional areas — with good reason.

According to ballistics experts, at least one in four of the tens of thousands of birds shot each year — even in “restricted” seasons — will be wounded only, flapping away to die painful deaths over days or weeks (why other states have banned it).

Many farmers are realising the benefits of ducks: they eat algae and the real crop pests (why they are used overseas to help rice farming). They even eat liver fluke.

From an economic perspective, a 2019 government survey of duck shooters showed their alleged spend fell 46 per cent across Victoria between 2013 and 2019.

In the town of Kerang the fall was sharper at 62 per cent, in Swan Hill 54 per cent and Pyramid Hill fell off the list of mentions.

Neither the Loddon, Buloke nor Colac-Otway areas made the 2019 list either. Greater Bendigo fell 64 per cent while the West Wimmera, Hindmarsh and Corangamite local government areas seemingly fell to oblivion from their already low alleged duck shooter spend levels in 2013. These shooters surveys don’t count the cost of bird shooting to community either.

Independent economists report duck shooting is detrimental. The costs of bird shooting include loss of tourism, loss of ability to work from home near it (and far more people live near waterways these days), and for shift workers to sleep.

Bird shooting sends children into tears, horses through fences and farmers into high trespass alert. And let’s not forget the taxpayer dollars pouring into attempts to monitor this minority choice of recreation.

There’s a better way.

● Kerrie Allen is spokeswoman for Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting

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