DUCK season 2023 has closed and while the Game Management Authority (GMA) conducted almost 200 less patrols of wetlands this year compared to 2022, the number of infringement notices issued was only reduced by three.

During this year’s comparably shortened duck season, GMA officers undertook 469 patrols at 216 individual wetlands across Victoria and checked more than 1212 game licences and 981 hunter bags.

In 2022, officers undertook more than 641 patrols of the same number of wetlands and checked more than 1200 game licences and 970 hunter bags.

GMA officers issued 19 infringement notices and are currently undertaking 17 investigations with a total of 45 breaches detected throughout the 2023 duck season.

In 2022, the GMA issued 22 infringement notices and detected 38 breaches.

Causing consternation before the season even began was the markedly reduced time the 2023 season was open, down from three months in 2022 that historically began mid-March, to just five weeks this year - from April 26 until May 30.

GMA director of compliance and intelligence, Paul Stevens, thanked those who acted safely and responsibly throughout the season and said most hunters had observed the law and enjoyed their time on the wetlands.

“While some people breached game hunting and public safety laws, most people (GMA) Authorised Officers spoke to were compliant,” Mr Stevens said.

Breaches to hunting laws detected in the 2023 season included failure to comply with the season arrangements, hunting without a valid game licence and possession of toxic shot.

Two hunters were found to have exceeded the daily bag limit and one hunter failed to immediately dispatch a retrieved duck.

Breaches to public safety laws detected included entering a wetland without authorisation, hindering and harassing hunters and people littering and leaving campfires unattended.

The GMA works in partnership with Victoria Police, the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA), the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR), Victorian Fisheries Authority, and Parks Victoria to regulate the duck season.

Duck seasons in Victoria are rarely without controversy with disputation over actual duck numbers in the environment and validity of threats to protected species.

Outdoor Recreation minister, Sonya Kilkenny, was heavily criticised by the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFFP) Victoria over a decision to close 13 wetlands just prior to the opening of the 2023 season.

Illegal hunting and breaches to public safety laws can be reported to the GMA, or by visiting Report Illegal Hunting or call 136 186.