NORTHERN Victoria remains a mecca for duck hunters with Boort and Kerang in the top five spots for hunting days last season.
Game Management Authority last week released its bird estimates report, showing Sale, Horsham and Shepparton rounding out the top hunting destinations.
“Combining duck and Stubble Quail, Sale had the most hunting days during the 2024 hunting seasons, followed by Shepparton, Kerang, Horsham and Boort,” the report said.
Results showed an estimated 391,900 game ducks were harvested in 2024, 22 per cent above the long-term average of 320,000. Of the 21,383 licensed duck hunters, 60 per cent actively hunted in 2024. On average, active duck hunters harvested an estimated 30.3 ducks during the season over an average of 8.9 days.
The three most commonly harvested species were the Pacific Black Duck (39 per cent of the total harvest), Grey Teal (25 per cent of the total harvest) and Australian Wood Duck (24 per cent of the total harvest).
Results also show an estimated 457,400 Stubble Quail were harvested in 2024. This is almost triple the long-term average of 159,000 and is the second largest Stubble Quail harvest since telephone surveys began in 2009.
Of the 25,788 hunters licenced to hunt Stubble Quail, 22 per cent actively hunted in 2024. On average, active quail hunters harvested an estimated 79.4 Stubble Quail for the season over 8.5 days.
GMA director of strategy and research, Simon Toop said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced game bird hunters who voluntarily participated in the surveys.
“Favourable environmental and breeding conditions and more active hunters likely resulted in an increase in the number of ducks and quail harvested,” Mr Toop said.
“The information hunters provide helps build a stronger understanding of gamebird harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria.”
Victoria’s duck hunting season went ahead after the State Government rejected calls from a parliamentary inquiry to abolish the sport. Loddon Shire Council urged the inquiry to back duck hunting, citing its economic importance to the region.
The shortened 2024 season included a six-duck daily bag limit.
The Game Management Authority last year reported record duck numbers across Victoria on the back of an Arthur Rylah Institute survey that found game bird numbers had surged from 2.9 million in 2022 to 7.12 million in November 2023.