There have been many changes introduced for this year's duck hunting season, including changes in bag limits and different starting times.
The 2022 season will begin at 8am on Wednesday, March 16 and will go until 30 minutes after sunset on Monday, June 13, with the bag limit for hunters limited to four birds per day.
The Blue-winged Shoveler and Hardhead will not be able to be hunted across Victoria as both species were recently listed as threatened.
The Game Management Authority said the new arrangements had been made after modelling of habitat and waterbird abundance surveys in eastern Australia, as well as other analysis and other data relating to game duck abundance, habitat distribution and climate.
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The full-length season settings for this year with a different bag limit was recommended based on harvest data modelling by two ecologists Marcel Klaassen and Richard Kingsford.
They advised that reducing the bag limit is a more effective way to reduce the overall harvest of game ducks rather than reducing season length.
The GMA will continue to monitor conditions in the lead up to and during the season, with some wetlands possibly closed to hunting or regulated to protect concentrations of rare or threatened species.
The six duck species which can be hunted throughout the season include the Pacific Black Duck, Chestnut Teal, Grey Teal, Australian Shelduck, Pink-eared Duck and Wood Duck.
