THE announcement of Victoria's 2025 duck hunting season has been both welcomed by hunters and slammed by conservationists.
Minister for outdoor recreation Steve Dimopoulos announced the key dates and times for the 2025 season on Friday with the additional news that the dates would remain fixed for the next three years.
This season will also be the first to use the adaptive harvest management (AHM) to guide the daily bag limit and which is tailored to Victoria’s specific conditions, habitats, and species.
Victorian Duck Hunters Association (VDHA) welcomed the announcement.
In a statement on Friday, VDHA commended the government's use of 'sound' science in making their announcement.
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"VDHA is pleased that the government’s commitment to deliver safe, sustainable, and responsible hunting continues to be delivered as per the sustainable hunting action plan," the statement said.
"With good seasonal conditions hunters can take to the field once again with confidence, continuing long held traditions, enhance familial bonds, harvest free range game, and importantly contribute to regional economies."
The season will open at 8am on Wednesday, 19 March and close 30 minutes after sunset on Sunday, 9 June.
The hunting start time is 8am until 30 minutes after sunset for the first five days, then from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset for the remainder of the season.
The daily bag limit will be nine game ducks per day, with seven game duck species allowed to be hunted.
The Blue-winged Shoveler cannot be hunted at any time of year.
In the announcement, Mr Dimopoulos said $11.6 million would be invested to ensure proper compliance and enforcement measures were in place so duck hunting could remain safe and sustainable.
“Duck hunting is a legitimate activity that matters to thousands of Victorians and we’re making sure it can continue sustainably and responsibly – backed by science,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
“Our wounding reduction action plan will improve animal welfare and is a significant step to make sure recreational hunting can continue sustainably in Victoria.”
Field and Game Australia (FGA) also welcomed the announcement and said certainty around the next three seasons' starting date and length gave hunters and associated industry the surety needed to plan in advance.
In a statement, FGA said the government's announcement was a return to 'proper process'.
"This means that only bag limits and minor management measures will be subject to change—just as it should be under a properly functioning regulatory system," the statement said.
"Hunters have long called for a return to consistency, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making—and this announcement delivers on that expectation."
Duck conservation stalwart and Coalition Against Duck Shooting (CADS) director Laurie Levy slammed the announcement and said Premier Jacinta Allan will again have the blood of Australia's native waterbirds on her hands.
Mr Levy said Ms Allan had ignored 'all the warnings' that waterbird numbers were already low and that hunting would risk spreading the recently found new and highly pathogenic strain of bird flu virus.
“With the imminent threat of the deadly H5N1 bird flu, which has already killed hundreds of millions of birds and other wildlife on every other continent, and the H7N8 strain now detected on two poultry farms in northern Victoria, the Premier’s call is totally irresponsible," Mr Levy said.
"These viruses could be present in native waterbirds on any Victorian wetland and disturbance by shooters would only spread them further afield."
Mr Levy said Ms Allan had disregarded the October 2024 Eastern Australian Waterbird Aerial Survey which he said shows a 'collapse' of overall waterbird populations.
“The Premier’s decision to allow duck shooting also disregards Labor’s own parliamentary inquiry which recommended a total ban on native bird hunting from 2024," he said.
"Premier Allan reportedly made a ‘captain’s call’ under threat from two heavyweight union bosses who threatened a mass walkout on all Big Build projects if duck shooting was banned."
FGA told its members they could not afford to be complacent.
"This commitment must not be a temporary concession but a lasting precedent for all future governments to follow," he said.
"The hunting community must remain vigilant and actively engaged to ensure that this process is not reversed, diluted, or manipulated in the years ahead."
Mr Levy said dead birds will again be displayed outside the Premier’s office when the season begins.
