Duck shooting in Victoria

[Rosemary Blemings <>]

Greetings fellow COG members,

Please would you seriously consider adding a personal sentence or two to this petition against Recreational Duck Shooting in Victoria?

Thank you,

Rosemary.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Louise - Animals Australia<>

Subject: RE: Duck shooting

Date: 19 January 2021 at 4:23:22 pm AEDT

To:

Rosemary, turns out most duck shooters don't even know what bird they're shooting at:

A decision on this year's native duck shooting season in Victoria is about to be announced, and decision-makers need to hear from people like you who care. Take action here!

Because apart from clear cruelty, the government's own survey has revealed that shockingly few shooters in Victoria understand the rules or can identify the defenceless native animals they're pointing guns at. More details below...



For many, the new year brings memories of the horror bushfire season and a renewed dedication to protect wildlife. But, sadly, that compassion may not reach the halls of Parliament. As I write this, the Victorian Premier and his ministers are considering whether to allow a duck shooting season to go ahead.

The recreational slaughter of waterbirds is still on Dan Andrews' agenda, even considering worsening environmental conditions, waterbird populations plummeting towards catastrophic failure, and habitats that are struggling to recover from drought and bushfires. 

These issues alone should mean the end of duck shooting in Victoria, but it gets worse. Shocking new information has come to light highlighting further risks of letting a season go ahead.

A government survey recently found that duck shooters in Victoria have an appalling lack of knowledge — the lowest of all hunter types in the state — when it comes to firearm regulations and duck shooting requirements.



Last month, the Game Management Authority conducted a survey of over 5,000 shooters, and the results are damning. 

Of all duck shooters surveyed:

• Less than 4% could answer all questions correctly when asked about animal welfare, waterbird identification and safety;
• 3 out of 5 don't know how to shoot to minimise wounding;
• 4 out of 5 couldn't identify species they're permitted to kill and those who are 'protected';
• 84% don't know how to kill ducks they have shot and injured; 
• Only 15% of duck shooters understand the safety risks associated with firing at ducks at close-range.

Source:
Summary report of hunters' knowledge survey findings: Game Management Authority, December 2020

For years Premier Andrews has said he supports duck hunting "provided the rules are followed". For his government to allow a season to go ahead in light of these findings would not only be cruel and reckless — but dangerous. It would mean letting shooters onto the wetlands who lack the most basic knowledge when it comes to animal welfare, don't know which ducks they can legally shoot and which species are protected, and risk personal and public safety. 

Take urgent action here to urge the Premier to end this senseless violence.



1 in 4 birds shot during duck shooting season aren't killed immediately. They suffer shattered bones, bills and legs and are left on the wetlands for days or weeks before succumbing to their injuries.

Animals Australia has put forward a detailed submission to the Game Management Authority outlining why a season cannot go ahead, and we've written urgently to the Victorian Environment and Agriculture Ministers highlighting the same. 

Now we need these decision-makers to hear from you to reinforce just how many people want them to end this cruelty. 

Rosemary, each year the voices of Victorians calling for our precious wildlife to be protected and habitats preserved far outnumber those of an increasingly tiny minority who choose to harm native ducks for the sake of 'fun'. As our voices become louder, the reasons to end duck shooting become more critical. 



Professor Richard Kingsford with his team at UNSW manage the annual Eastern Australian Waterbird Survey. He is referring here to the 2020 results of this aerial population count.

Can you please take this quick action today and be one of those giving our wildlife that voice they deserve?

Please urge the Premier Daniel Andrews to step up and end duck shooting in Victoria — if not for the cruelty, at least to protect waterbird populations in crisis and regional communities at risk. But, above all, because our wildlife deserve better.

As always, thank you for caring, and for helping us move closer to the day that our wildlife can live in peace and safety.

For the animals,

Louise Bonomi Director of Development

P.S. I know it can feel tiring calling for the same action when it comes to duck shooting, and each year the season goes ahead. But it's only because you've taken every opportunity to make your voice heard so far that the Victorian Premier is in the minority in his support for duck shooting — he is facing continuing internal pressure to change Labor's policy and ban it for good. Because of this, our continued efforts are more critical than ever. Thank you.


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