Duck Hunting

Farmboy · #1 02-12-2009, 05:57 PM

I just stumbled across a poll asking about whether Australia should allow the duck hunting season to continue. I'm a bit curious what the problem is and why so many people are against this one type of hunting. Is the duck population low in Australia, or is it just anti hunting groups starting trouble?

Stoffa · #2 02-16-2009, 04:28 AM

Farmboy

As far as I know that the State of Victoria ( SE cnr ) has just announced that the season will go ahead this year - Don't know about the other states - I don't Duck Hunt but I thought I'd answer your Q as best I could

Various reasons have been given over the years - Low water reserves ( dry place is Oz in spots) , widespread Drought - (Yep, 8 years of that in some areas/states) Low duck numbers ( due supposedly to previous 2 reasons) and pressure from the anti hunting crowd.............

Read into all of the above " anti hunting minority groups" influencing political agendas using the above reasons to further their cause.

Oddly Queensland ( one of the biggest states is 1/3 under water at the moment with floods ) - guess the "dry" argument won't work in that area for a while.

Down here in Victoria, despite what you may have heard about the bush fires ( 750,000 acres burnt out, 180 dead, 1800 houses burnt out and 7000 homeless - all bad

) it wasn't generally in duck hunting areas and will have little impact on duck hunting.

The Fires have had a HUGE impact on Victoria and Australia in general though

Cheers

kdub · #3 02-16-2009, 10:54 AM

Yes, Stoffa - we've had a lot of coverage on your wildfires and can sympathize with you folks. Our wildfires here in the West cause yearly damage, but not resulting in the death toll as your present situation. Here's hoping it comes to an end shortly.

Farmboy · #4 02-16-2009, 10:57 AM

Thanks Stoffa, hope you guys get some rain where it's needed.

JackoP · #5 02-22-2009, 10:31 PM

Duck hunting was banned in Queensland in late 2007 , I am too disgusted to remember the petty reasoning . A few decades ago in Queensland a hunter was a man to be respected for the skills he possesed providing for his family , self reliance , independance . Now I often end up butting heads with some greenie do gooder or animal liberation clown at party's for admitting I hunt with a bow and a firearm as they scoff their store bought rib fillet steak or choke on their $50.00 patte"

There is still a lot of problems with Bushfires burning out of control in Victoria , more warnings where issued for towns between the already burnt area's and Melbourne with many residents choosing to evacuate early . Fair go mother nature, - time to back off

Far North Queensland is still under water , roughly a full 1/3 of the total Queensland land area . Many communities have been cut off since Jan 2nd and will be for another 6 weeks minimum . I heard the other day that Lake Ayr will only fill to a depth of about a metre out of this wet season as the land is so thirsty in the couple of thousand kilometre journey down to Sth Australia .

regards Jacko

aussiecolector · #6 07-12-2009, 08:45 PM

I think the 1/3 of Queensland land area under water was a little exaggerated.

kdub · #7 07-13-2009, 08:39 AM

The national weather news says the "El Ninio" effect is here again this year. That the US Atlantic seaboard area is due for wetter than normal and that you folks downunder are due for drier and hotter. Sure hope you don't have a repeat of the fires you had last season.

We know "hot" here, also - 115 F here yesterday and 114 F forecast again today.