Duck hunting season to go ahead

Sufficient duck and quail numbers has prompted Environment Minister Jay Weatherill to announce a hunting season in South Australia for the first time in two years.

The duck hunting season - with a bag limit of four ducks per day, and the quail hunting season - with a bag limit of 15 birds per day, will run from March 28 to May 31.

Welcome by shooters and slammed by the Greens, Mr Weatherill said recent waterfowl surveys showed there were enough birds to justify “limited hunting seasons in South Australia” this year.

“But heavy restrictions have been placed on the length of the season and the number and species of duck and quail able to be taken to ensure that populations of the birds are not adversely affected,” Mr Weatherill said.

Five species of duck - the Grey teal, Chestnut teal, Pink-eared Duck, Hardhead (white-eyed Duck) and Wood Duck - will be allowed to be taken, but the Blue-winged shoveler, Mountain Duck and Pacific Black Duck will be protected as they are limited in numbers.

Due to ongoing dry conditions, Bool Lagoon and Bucks Lake Game Reserve are excluded from the open season.

Duck hunter Ken Atkins, from Kongorong, welcomed the news.

“The wetlands are better off with hunters because they get rid of weeds and build nest boxes so that birds can breed,” he said.

“We haven’t been doing that for the past two years because we have not had a hunting season.

“Duck hunting could also be a great revenue raiser for the region; I know hunters who spend about $5000 on a hunting trip to New Zealand and we could get hunters to travel to our region and spend the money here.

“Research has shown that hunters account for only one percent of bird deaths, so we are not a threat to the birds, but rather help ensure their populations grow so that there are birds to hunt.”

Greens MLC Mark Parnell criticised the minister’s decision.

“When birds are already struggling to find any decent water in South Australia, they will now be blasted by shotguns when they do,” Mr Parnell said.

“Duck shooting is not a sport; it’s a cruel and inhumane practice. Shooting defenceless native birds out of the sky when they seek refuge has no place in a compassionate society.”

Mr Weatherill said the hunting season would be closely monitored and “should circumstances change, we will revert to a closed season in 2010″.

All hunters with current hunting permits are accredited to shoot.

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