DUCK SEASON

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Pictorella
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Joined: 24 Aug 2013, 12:26
Location: Maitland NSW

I enjoy watching pairs of Pink-eared Duck (a species that mostly eats aquatic species but still legally shot) circling slowly in pairs while they feed. I enjoy watching Shoveler lined up roosting on the banks with their bright orange legs glowing in the sunlight. What I don't like is people shooting for the sake of shooting. If your going to eat everything you shoot that's fine but I doubt that occurs ON THE WHOLE. I also think it's terrible that most shooters can't ID/or care that they're shooting Swan, Freckled Duck and Blue-billed Duck which are protected. Each to their own but don't bring it to NSW.
A world without birds is a world not worth living in :)
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arthur
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Posts: 1995
Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

The hunter crouches in his blind

'Neath camouflage of every kind

And conjures up a quacking noise

To lend allure to his decoys

This grown-up man, with pluck and luck is hoping to outwit a DUCK??

Ogden Nash was not a duck culler
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Tiaris
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Joined: 23 Apr 2011, 08:48
Location: Coffs Harbour

I'm quite concerned that previously common survival skills such as hunting, fishing & killing one's own livestock for the table are being progressively more discouraged as our society becomes more environmentally & animal welfare "conscious".
At the same time, I find it remarkably hypocritical that I am allowed to kill 10 wild ducks per day for a defined period yet if during that same period I was to keep a pair of the same species in my aviaries for the purposes of keeping them alive & breeding from them without obtaining a licence & paying a fee to the same government I would be guilty of breaking the law & fined for so doing.
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Craig52
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Location: victoria

Tiaris wrote:I'm quite concerned that previously common survival skills such as hunting, fishing & killing one's own livestock for the table are being progressively more discouraged as our society becomes more environmentally & animal welfare "conscious".
At the same time, I find it remarkably hypocritical that I am allowed to kill 10 wild ducks per day for a defined period yet if during that same period I was to keep a pair of the same species in my aviaries for the purposes of keeping them alive & breeding from them without obtaining a licence & paying a fee to the same government I would be guilty of breaking the law & fined for so doing.
I agree Tiaris,but these are not classed as aviary birds though some people keep them as such and being a native animal you are required to have a licence to do so,so yes you would be in the wrong.
Hunters pay for a shooters licence as well as a game licence yearly.They also pay for a WIT test (Wildfowl Identification Test) and if you don't pass it you don't get a game licence.
Anyway,my life style and my choice. Cheers Craig :silent:
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TomDeGraaff
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Joined: 25 Jul 2012, 11:04
Location: Melbourne

I don't care foor duck shooting but I am okay as long as it is sustainable. I think the bag limit could be halved.
Shooters have other targets I'd prefer to see shot: cats, rabbits, pigs, goats, deer, dogs even brumbies are all unnatural to our bush. I doubt if any mis-identification could occur. Even I can tell the difference between a duck and a cat.
NSW bans duck shooting and lets shooters kill ferals in state parks. I find that a good compromise.
Tom
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E Orix
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Joined: 29 May 2009, 23:30
Location: Howlong on NSW/Vic Border 30km from Albury
Location: Howlong NSW

Looking out my window there are 9 Wood Ducks happily grazing my lawn.
They are safe and unperturbed yet if I put them to flight in less that 200m
they could be blasted out of the air.
As far as duck season here it's nearly over, I didn't hear one shot this morning and
possibly no more until next weekend(maybe).
The whole shooting/wildlife situation is crazy anyway, a few years ago there was a drought in the
Southern Highlands. Thousands(yes thousands) of Kangaroos were starving. Eating vegetation back
so hard the plants just couldn't recover. There was a desperate need to cull the groups now roaming
around in over 100+ strong. Yet the tree huggers threatened to take the dept. to Court if they went ahead
with the cull. They wanted the animals to die of starvation rather than see them shot.
The sad part is the animals still died after the drought had broken because the vegetation needed time to
recover and grown. These decisions are made from the heart and not the head and generally from city people
who do not have a clue. How could Skippy cause a problem, or those lovely little ducks eat out a crop or those little
fluffy Buddies couldn't possibly be a pest.!!!!!
Ah life goes on.
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Craig52
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Location: victoria

Uraeginthus wrote:I don't care foor duck shooting but I am okay as long as it is sustainable. I think the bag limit could be halved.
Shooters have other targets I'd prefer to see shot: cats, rabbits, pigs, goats, deer, dogs even brumbies are all unnatural to our bush. I doubt if any mis-identification could occur. Even I can tell the difference between a duck and a cat.
NSW bans duck shooting and lets shooters kill ferals in state parks. I find that a good compromise.
Tom
Hi Tom,the topic is duck season.I mentioned the WIT system for DUCKS that are Legally able to be culled during the season,that is specific species that can have population explosions when times are good and need to be culled and the bag limit is over designated duck species.For an example,opening day 10 game ducks which includes 2 blue winged shoveler,for the rest of the season,5 game ducks and 1 blue winged shoveler,SO it does get halved.
Everyone can have an opinion,but to say "Even i can tell the difference between a duck and a cat" is insane,i don't know where you are coming from as the WIT system is about water fowl only.
NSW does have a duck culling season and also allows feral animals to be shot in State Parks under permit as does Victoria.

Constructive criticism is great if you know what you are talking about. Cheers Craig :thumbup:
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Pictorella
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Location: Maitland NSW

NSW doesn't have a duck shooting season. Hunters need to apply for a NSW Restricted Game Hunting Licence or a General Game Hunting Licence and complete the WIT and they can only shoot on private land. So unlike Victoria it's a individual application rather than anyone doing it during a period. What I don't like is the inclusion of non pest species like Pink-eared Duck, Shoveled and Wandering Whistling-duck.

What I believe Uraeginthus is referring to is that it's easy for someone to mistake a Black duck with a threatened freckled duck but very hard for someone to mistake a feral cat.

Cheers,
Grant


Craig52 wrote:
Uraeginthus wrote:I don't care foor duck shooting but I am okay as long as it is sustainable. I think the bag limit could be halved.
Shooters have other targets I'd prefer to see shot: cats, rabbits, pigs, goats, deer, dogs even brumbies are all unnatural to our bush. I doubt if any mis-identification could occur. Even I can tell the difference between a duck and a cat.
NSW bans duck shooting and lets shooters kill ferals in state parks. I find that a good compromise.
Tom
Hi Tom,the topic is duck season.I mentioned the WIT system for DUCKS that are Legally able to be culled during the season,that is specific species that can have population explosions when times are good and need to be culled and the bag limit is over designated duck species.For an example,opening day 10 game ducks which includes 2 blue winged shoveler,for the rest of the season,5 game ducks and 1 blue winged shoveler,SO it does get halved.
Everyone can have an opinion,but to say "Even i can tell the difference between a duck and a cat" is insane,i don't know where you are coming from as the WIT system is about water fowl only.
NSW does have a duck culling season and also allows feral animals to be shot in State Parks under permit as does Victoria.

Constructive criticism is great if you know what you are talking about. Cheers Craig :thumbup:
A world without birds is a world not worth living in :)
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arthur
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Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

duck page.jpg
The above page is taken from "A Guide to Australian Waterfowl" . . . produced jointly by Parks NSW and CSIRO, and issued as' a cooperative production of wildlife authorities of Australia

Can't find a 'print date', butI have had it for (+/ -) 40 years and it is a handy little quick reference guide

It may well still be used in conjunction with the WIT test to which Craig refers

I agree with Pictorella that some species of duck, particularly hens can be confused under certain conditions (even by people concerned with their welfare)




Regarding the Burdekin Duck . .

One adopted my Mother-in-law who lived on a rural property

It came and went as it pleased, but it became so tame that she could hand feed it

This was its downfall as it used to greet the family car when it came home . . until :drool: :roll:
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TomDeGraaff
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Joined: 25 Jul 2012, 11:04
Location: Melbourne

Craig52 wrote: Hi Tom,the topic is duck season.I mentioned the WIT system for DUCKS that are Legally able to be culled during the season,that is specific species that can have population explosions when times are good and need to be culled and the bag limit is over designated duck species.For an example,opening day 10 game ducks which includes 2 blue winged shoveler,for the rest of the season,5 game ducks and 1 blue winged shoveler,SO it does get halved.
Everyone can have an opinion,but to say "Even i can tell the difference between a duck and a cat" is insane,i don't know where you are coming from as the WIT system is about water fowl only.
NSW does have a duck culling season and also allows feral animals to be shot in State Parks under permit as does Victoria.

Constructive criticism is great if you know what you are talking about. Cheers Craig :thumbup:
Hi Craig. It's a touchy subject to some! I addressed the subject of duck season but also put my spin on the free discussion about the shooting question. I have a view and am entitled to it. I also said that I had no problem with it if sustainable so I am not the ignorant enemy. Pictorella is right about the cat/duck thing. Silly me thought I was using pretty obvious cynicism! :crazy:
Now, my point about halving the quota you've misunderstood as well. I would halve quotas all over, even if it seems to halve itself over the season.
Anyway, it was not my intention to hurt anyone's feelings. I'm no expert on this topic, in fact, more likely rather WITless :)
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