Victorian MP Jeff Bourman is "cautiously hopeful" the shooting fraternity may receive a small reprieve in 2024 after renewing calls for Victorian Premier Jactina Allan to extend the ducking hunting season.
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party member said the recent change in state leadership had renewed confidence among hunters the government may "follow the science and take the politics out of it".
"We have a new premier, a new outdoor rec minister, who was also the environment minister, so I am hoping that the new sheriffs in town are going to stick with the science," he said.
His comments followed the release of Estimates of duck and Stubble Quail harvest in Victoria 2023 report on Friday which revealed 319,000 game ducks were shot during this year's season.
Sale, Kerang, Geelong and Echuca record the highest numbers of ducks harvests, with Game Management Authority results revealing the estimated harvest was close to the long-term average of 320,000 a season.
However, 302,824 stubble quail were harvested, well above the yearly long-term average of 149,000.
"With the quail, I do believe most people saw that it was suddenly and unfairly under attack so they thought they would get into it," Mr Bourman said.
It comes as the 2023 duck harvest season was controversially reduced in length to five weeks with a daily bag limit of four birds.
"Despite having a shorter season, roughly the total amount of ducks was the same, which goes to prove what Professors Kingsford and Klassen were saying during (Victoria's recreational native bird hunting arrangements) inquiry, that the length of the season has no direct impact on harvest, but rather the bag limit does," Mr Bourman said.
"Despite the government's attempt to curtail the number of birds shot by ministerial interference, it didn't work."
Mr Bourman said the change in Victoria's premier could lead to a "full bag and a full season" in 2024 and urged the government to allow hunters to harvest up to 10 birds over a 12-week period.
"There is an interim harvest model leading into the adaptive harvest model which will give a scientifically-achieved number that can be harvested safely with no direct impact on long-term bird numbers," he said.
"Two months ago I was quite sure that there was no future for it, but the change in premier and the change in ministers has given me hope that we will have at least a number of years of proper harvesting and proper seasons as determined by the science rather than just someone meddling.
GMA director strategy and research Simon Toop said the research published in the 2023 report was based on information gathered from randomly-selected licensed game bird hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.
"Throughout 2023, approximately 2920 licensed game bird hunters were surveyed to collect information about their hunting activity, including how many game birds were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used, and the species of game birds harvested," he said.
The three most commonly harvested species were the Pacific Black Duck (45 per cent of the total harvest), Grey Teal (29pc) and Australian Wood Duck (18pc).
A Victorian government spokeswoman said, given deeply held views on the subject, the Parliament established a Legislative Council Select Committee to examine recreational native bird hunting in Victoria.
This inquiry generated more than 10,000 submissions - a record for any Victorian Parliamentary inquiry.
"The government is considering the recommendations of the committee and will respond in due course," the spokeswoman said.
Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
