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Duck Season 2006 - Victoria
PDF Icon Fact sheet 2006 duck season (PDF - 59 Kb)

The 2006 Victorian duck hunting season will run for the normal twelve weeks.

The daily bag limit for the season will be seven birds per hunter, which includes a maximum of one Blue-winged Shoveler. This is two birds more than could be taken last year but still below the maximum allowed by regulations.

The Blue-winged Shoveler may again be hunted after being fully protected for the last few seasons. However, unlike last year, no additional Wood Duck can be taken over the opening weekend.

The season will start on Saturday 18 March 2006 and close on 12 June 2006.

A scientific analysis of environmental conditions supports holding a duck season in 2006.

The report shows that game duck numbers have increased from last year and, while parts of eastern Australia remain dry, areas around northern Victoria and southern New South Wales have improved and there has been good breeding.

As with previous years, conditions continue to be monitored in the lead up to the 2006 season and wetlands may be closed to hunting to provide refuge for game ducks and other wildlife.

Hunters must positively identify birds before they shoot.

Freckled Duck, Blue-billed Duck, Musk Duck and Plumed Whistling-Duck must not be shot. Departmental officers, Parks Victoria Rangers and Victoria Police will be in the field to monitor compliance with the regulations during the season.

Only hunters holding current Game Licences are permitted to enter the field.

Lead shot must not be used for duck hunting anywhere in Victoria, although there are some limited exemptions depending on the type of shotgun used for hunting.

Research and conservation
Each year DSE considers a range of factors when deciding whether a duck season can be sustained without compromising the conservation status of any game species.

Some of those factors are:

* surveys of wetlands and waterbirds in Victoria
* meteorological/climate indicators and outlooks
* stream flow indices
* water storage levels
* Environmental Water Allocations
* areas where drought has been declared
* hunter bag surveys
* a mail questionnaire of hunters.

This presentation considers some of the factors reviewed for the 2006 season.
[url=http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/28507D01A3C86749CA2570DE001D05F0/$File/Duck+Season+Presentation+2006.pdf]PPT Icon Duck Season Presentation 2006 (PPT - 622 Kb)
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Another important tool is the aerial survey of wetland birds in eastern Australia conducted by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, with support from the Governments of Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. The survey records indices of abundance of waterbirds, including game ducks, wetland availability and breeding for the surveyed area. This data provides information on the health and status of eastern Australia's wetlands and its waterbirds.

Aerial survey of wetland birds in Eastern Australia 2005

Vic Duck Season 2006

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