Ashamed by activity
WHY is the government allowing the cruel activity of duck shooting to continue?
Shouldn’t our native birdlife wellbeing come before any “pastime” pursuit of humans?
I’m ashamed to be part of a race that endorses this activity and struggling to believe that in a day and age when we have a better understanding of how fragile our natural ecosystem is we are allowed to go and interfere with wildlife in such a barbaric manner for our own selfish desires.
Elizabeth McCann,
Newmerella
Hard look at themselves
FIELD and Game Australia (FGA) seems to be navel-gazing.
Have they forgotten duck shooting takes place among homes and livelihoods of ratepayers fed up with its noise and destruction?
Do they care that their “fun” deters tourists?
FGA want a full bag every year, and won’t rest until some weak-willed government coughs up research funds to “prove” threatened species aren’t threatened.
But way back in 1988, the Australian Museum reported both Blue-winged Shoveler and Hardhead were considered at risk.
The new computer model commissioned by Game Management Authority is based on a three-month season.
It will never predict a shorter season, so no wonder FGA supports it. The season used to be two months last century.
FGA run duck-breeding projects so they can slaughter more next year.
Why don’t they organise clean-up parties to remove the plastic ammo cartridges and lead ammunition (used legally in quail shooting and illegally in duck shooting) as well as the toilet waste, drink cans and piles of bird parts that shooters leave behind?
It’s time the leaders of FGA took a good hard look at themselves.
Most of us view duck shooters as persona non grata.
M Mack,
Bendigo
