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Hunting >> Hunting in Australia, NZ & the South Pacific
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NitroXAdministrator
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First duck hunting season in SA for several years!
      #130231 - 22/03/09 02:44 PM

Duck hunting will be allowed in South Australia this year but the State Government says there will be heavy restrictions.

The season will be open for two months from March 28 and there will be a bag limit of four ducks per day.

There was no duck hunting season last year because bird numbers had dwindled.

SA Environment Minister Jay Weatherill says a limited hunting season is possible this year.

"We'll continue to monitor the situation but this year the surveys indicate that it is possible to have a season," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/17/2518539.htm

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39309
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Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130232 - 22/03/09 02:46 PM

The 'watermellons' are at it again however:

Greens slam re-opening of duck shooting season


Greens MLC Mark Parnell has slammed the Government's decision to allow a resumption of duck and quail shooting in South Australia after a 2 year break.

"This is a terrible decision. When birds are already struggling to find any decent water in South Australia, they will now be blasted by shotguns when they do," said Greens MLC Mark Parnell.

"Our understanding is that this decision is based on an increase in national bird numbers. Just because numbers are up in Queensland and NSW because of decent rains over the last 12 months doesn't mean we have more birds here in SA.

"In fact, the most recent state wetland survey found that bird numbers in SA haven't significantly changed - 2008 numbers show a 2.6 % increase from 2007, but this is still 53.6% less than 2003 numbers.

"Ramsar listed wetlands in the State's South East are under serious threat from this Government with the announcement of the Wellington Weir EIS, and now the opening of the duck shooting season. How many more bullets can this Government fire at native birds?" he said.

South Australia is only one of three states left who allow duck shooting. WA, Qld and NSW have all banned the practice. South Australia has not had a season for at least the last 2 years because of low bird numbers. Yet despite numbers not significantly increasing and wetlands under severe stress, the Government has allowed a 'restricted'duck and quail hunting season from 28 March.

"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.

"The Minister's line about a 'restricted season is just spin: the truth is the Rann Government has declared open season on ducks in South Australia," he said.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130233 - 22/03/09 02:47 PM

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/duck-for-dinner/1461689.aspx

Duck for dinner?

Duck will be on the menu again this year as duck hunting is again being allowed in South Australia. But SA Environment Minister Jay Weatherill says there will be restrictions on shooters.

The season opens for just two months from 28 March and there's a bag limit of four ducks per person per day.

Last year duck hunting wasn't allowed in SA because of low bird numbers.

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130234 - 22/03/09 02:48 PM

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.

http://www.borderwatch.com.au/archives/2557

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130235 - 22/03/09 02:49 PM

My comments to the Border Mail:

Quote:

Well done to the SA Government. Duck hunting is a legitimate sport and a great activity for the whole family in the outdoors. While also providing tasty duck, a healthy meal for the table.

Duck seasons should be based on science not emotional claptrap and the Greens are just pushing their usual agenda of no guns, no hunting and probably no farming either.

Duck hunters are far more conservationists than the urban greens, spending a lot of time in wetland environments weeding, maintaining levy banks, building duck nesting boxes etc.

Pity the Greens don't try getting their hands dirty for once as well - in real conservation projects, rather than pushing endless paper in city offices.

John H



--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39309
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130236 - 22/03/09 02:54 PM

Comments for the Independent Weekly:

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news...ns/1462520.aspx

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/content/letterstotheeditor/

My online comments:

Parnell and the Greens are like a broken record. They are for the banning of all guns and all hunting, so how objective are they?

As for bird numbers, a large proportion of the duck population dies off each year anyway. If there is less water around, the die off will be greater. Hunting just removes part of the population that will die off anyway.

Hunting is a natural human activity practised for thousands or millions of years. It is not an "inhumane" practice.


Response to another online comment:
And ... to the "hidden" greenie alias:

Mark Aldridge said "I hope the hunters are very carefull in regeards to which species they shoot, Hard task when in flight".

Mark, are you aware duck hunters must pass a Waterfowl Identification Test before being able to get a duck season licence?

Protected ducks vs non-protected ducks also have quite distinct differences in colour patterns eg most unprotected ducks have white sections in their feather patterns.

To this comment from the greenie posing as an "independent" commenter:

Quote
Running a sanctury, I know first hand that duck numbers have bearly recovered over recent years, let alone some of our native ducks still remain in dangerously low numbers, I hope the hunters are very carefull in regeards to which species they shoot, Hard task when in flight, I agree with the greens for once, give them longer to recover in numbers, as if they really need to shoot more in the name of fun?
Posted by Mark M Aldridge on 18/03/2009 12:07:11 PM

PS I'm sure I've seen the name "Mark Aldridge" before, in connection with the Greens Party.

***

Letter to the editor:

Dear Editor,

I refer to your article "Duck-shooting season slammed by Greens' published on the 18th of March.

Parnell and the Greens are like a broken record. They are for the banning of all guns and all hunting, so how objective are they?

As for bird numbers, a large proportion of the duck population dies off each year anyway. If there is less water around, the die off will be greater. Hunting just removes part of the population that will die off anyway.

Hunting is a natural human activity practised for thousands or millions of years. It is not an "inhumane" practice. Actually it is a great activity enjoyed by whole families in the outdoors. Duck meat is also a very tasty low fat meat.

John H

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Cinghiale
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Reged: 15/04/08
Posts: 406
Loc: Northern Territory
Re: First duck hunting season in SA for several years! [Re: NitroX]
      #130239 - 22/03/09 04:27 PM

Great stuff NitroX

Now if only they would see the value of letting hunters take fallow in state forests and parks instead of chopper pest management doing the job you would be on a great wicket!!

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