A GAME bird harvest report has revealed that 391,900 game ducks were harvested in 2024—22 per cent higher than the long-term average of 320,000.
The Game Management Authority (GMA) recently released their Estimates of duck and Stubble Quail harvest in Victoria 2024 report. The annual report is produced by the GMA in partnership with an independent telephone survey company and the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.
Of the 21,383 licensed duck hunters, 60 per cent participated in hunting activities in 2024. On average, active hunters harvested around 30.3 ducks over the course of eight and nine days.
The three most harvested species were the Pacific Black Duck (39 per cent of the total harvest), Grey Teal (25 per cent of the total harvest), and the Australian Wood Duck (24 per cent of the total harvest).
Results also revealed that an estimated 457,400 Stubble Quail were harvested in 2024. This is nearly triple the long-term average of 159,000 and marks the second-largest Stubble Quail harvest since telephone surveys began in 2009.
GMA Director of Strategy and Research Simon Toop said the research was based on information collected from a randomly selected group of licensed game bird hunters who voluntarily took part in the surveys.
“Favourable environmental and breeding conditions and more active hunters likely resulted in an increase in the number of ducks and quail harvested,” he said.
“The information hunters provide helps build a stronger understanding of gamebird harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria, and I’d like to thank all hunters who participated in the surveys.”
Throughout 2024, around 3458 licenced game bird hunters were surveyed to collect information about their hunting activity, including how many game birds were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used, and the species of game birds harvested.
For a full copy of the Estimates of duck and Stubble Quail harvest in Victoria 2024 report, visit www.gma.vic.gov.au/research/duck-research.
