Please help stop duck shooting

[cat_mioux]

Duck shooting season is on again :_|

Victoria is one of the last states to legalise this cruelty.

Our beautiful wild ducks suffer untold cruelty. Some take ages to die in pain because they haven't been killed outright. Some drown in the water. Others have been so traumatised they suffer stress related injuries.

This is an example of a letter/email you can send (courtesy of the RSPCA).

To peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au

I am writing to you to ask that you represent my views and those of your constituents for a ban on duck shooting.

I am extremely disappointed that the Coalition Government has allowed a full duck shooting season to commence in Victoria on 16 March. Do you realise that the reality will be a horrifying three months for our native wildlife? One where as many as one in four waterbirds be left to die a slow and painful death - all in the name of ‘sport’?

Just as shockingly, Game Licence fees for junior shooters have been waived, encouraging children as young as twelve years old to kill and maim ducks. Our government is obviously trying to breed a new generation of duck shooters – why, when we should be encouraging welfare friendly activities to our next generation?

With registered shooters in Victoria representing 0.4% of the Victorian community, why does your government continue to pander to their desires, when 87% of Victorians (Morgan Poll) want a ban of this cruel sport? Not only will the large number of people who enjoy our native wetlands for recreational activities and to admire our wildlife be displaced so duck shooters can kill waterbirds, dollars from ecotourism will also be lost.

The animal welfare vote continues to gain momentum especially with a heightened community awareness of animal welfare issues as highlighted recently by recent exposes into the cruelty behind live export.  Please take a stand and help end this legalised cruelty.

We are one of the last states to participate in such blatant cruelty, it’s time to catch up and be a progressive state.

[cat_mioux]

Warning. This has disturbing footage. But it shows what happens to our beautiful wildlife and the rescuers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_OuGtaun-M

[debra9275]

Hi Cat.  :-x

I'm not looking at the link, but I've always really hated duck season here & I will be writing, so thanks for the info

[kopenhagen5]

I think a brilliant solution would be to have the shooters shoot Non-native ducks only.

That would hit two birds with one stone.

[bright.ton42]

Thanks, cat. 

I don't think they need to kill any ducks, given the way they suffer.

And our new premier is a vet. 

Shame.  

[cat_mioux]

Thank you for supporting our precious wildlife.

I hope one day shooting animals for sport will be banned.

[auction_assassin]

Your not a rice farmer by any chance are you Cat?

:^O

Oh look an injured duck, lets go pick it up and save it by causing it to be petrified by being handled by a human.

Banning duck season aint the solution

Education and Policing are, but sadly this state lacks in both these departments in all areas so the sport will go on.

DO you think by banning duck shooting and letting the duck population to explode would be a good thing for the enviroment?

DO you know how much filth these ducks create causing pollution to to water and spreading disease to other animals or the destruction that these ducks can cause to a crop?

Its all very well to sit in your house and say save the animals, but how about you buy a farm, then you can save all the animals you want on it.

I'm sure it wont cost you much to keep sewing your crop each year only to have it wiped out and your other animals have nothing to eat and they die of starvation because you spent the last of your money sewing a crop and there is no feed to buy because the greenies got their way and let the duck population explode and wipe out most of the farmers livelyhoods, but hey at least the ducks are ok right?

[darksideofthemoon]

Oh gawd I hate the practice of shooting things... it isn't as if it proves manhood or anything of vital necessity... it's just damn cruel and destructive.

There is a national park up around Foster in NSW where the council is considering allowing 12 year olds to go in with guns and cross bows to shoot anything that moves...

WHY?  Why would they do that?  My friend says it's because the council want to keep in well with the gun lobby, she is fighting it tooth and nail...

What is wrong with mankind?

BAH X-(

[darksideofthemoon]

Your not a rice farmer by any chance are you Cat?

:^O

Oh look an injured duck, lets go pick it up and save it by causing it to be petrified by being handled by a human.

Banning duck season aint the solution

Education and Policing are, but sadly this state lacks in both these departments in all areas so the sport will go on.

DO you think by banning duck shooting and letting the duck population to explode would be a good thing for the enviroment?

DO you know how much filth these ducks create causing pollution to to water and spreading disease to other animals or the destruction that these ducks can cause to a crop?

Its all very well to sit in your house and say save the animals, but how about you buy a farm, then you can save all the animals you want on it.

I'm sure it wont cost you much to keep sewing your crop each year only to have it wiped out and your other animals have nothing to eat and they die of starvation because you spent the last of your money sewing a crop and there is no feed to buy because the greenies got their way and let the duck population explode and wipe out most of the farmers livelyhoods, but hey at least the ducks are ok right?

You make some valid point there auction assassin, but I do think it has to be a matter of 'cull' rather than outright indiscriminate duck shooting.  

As for leaving wounded creatures to die slowly or drown, that should not be necessary if the shooters are responsible, reliable and policed so the cull is clean, neat and does not take out birds of indigenous value.

Of course you're angry, but let's get some perspective on it.

[grapes_collector]

If people must eat duck meat then they should be farmed, and then humanely killed.

Shooting any animal for pleasure should be banned IMO