Duck hunting is more popular than ever in Victoria, with massive increases in duck and quail harvests shown in the latest results from the Game Management Authority of Victoria (GMA).
According to the newly released Estimates of Duck and Stubble Quail Harvest in Victoria 2024 report, there were 21,383 licensed duck hunters in Victoria, 60% of whom hunted in the 2024 season and collectively bagged an estimated 391,900 ducks.
The duck bag was a significant increase over the 319,908 ducks harvested in the 2023 season, and also well above the 324,000 ducks-per-season average since 2009.
The 2024 season lasted for 57 days, running from 10 April until 5 June, and the most harvested species was the Pacific black duck (153,117 ducks; 39% of the total), followed by grey teal (98,926 ducks; 25% of the total) and Australian wood duck (94,250 ducks; 24% of the total).
Pink-eared ducks were the least harvested bird, with 2019 taken during the season.
The areas around the towns of Sale, Kerang, Boort, Horsham and Shepparton proved the most popular for duck hunting.
The stubble quail harvest figures also enjoyed a massive boost over previous seasons, with 457,400 birds harvested during the 12-week long 2024 season, which ran from 6 April until 30 June.
The GMA reported this is the second-highest stubble quail harvest total recorded since hunter surveys began in 2009, beaten only by the 678,431 birds harvested during the 2011 season.
During the 2023 season, 302,824 stubble quail were harvested.
The highest number of quail harvested was around the towns of Shepparton, Ballarat, Echuca, Rochester and Wangaratta.
Information in the GMA annual harvest reports is gathered from randomly selected licensed game bird hunters, who voluntarily participate in the surveys.
GMA strategy and research director Simon Toop highlighted the increased number of birds taken during the 2024 season, with the report noting significant increases over both the 2023 season as well as the post-2009 averages.
“Favourable environmental and breeding conditions and more active hunters likely resulted in an increase in the number of ducks and quail harvested,” he said.
A full copy of the 2024 GMA Duck and Stubble Quail Harvest Estimates report is available here: https://www.gma.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1087242/Game-Bird-Estimates-2024-Final-Artwork-WEB.pdf
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