Duck season opens to downpour

Benalla was largely missed, only receiving 1.6mm. Echuca also missed out, with only 1.8mm.

Shepparton received 5.4mm, Bendigo got 9.8mm and Deniliquin scored 5.4mm.

The Victorian duck hunting season began at sunrise on Wednesday, March 16, and will close at sunset on Monday, June 13, giving hunters 89 days to take a legal shot.

The dreary and wet start to the season was actually good news for shooters.

Trelly's Outdoor Shepparton owner Steven Threlfall — better known as ‘Trelly’ — said cloudy weather was best for duck shooting.

“On a bright, sunny day they will fly up high whereas on wet and cloudy days they will hang low and stay in range for shooting,” he said.

“We had guys who went out on Wednesday, but they will also be going out this weekend (March 19 and 20) because often you need more shooters around a water source to be successful.”

Mr Threlfall said this season was already much busier than the short 2021 season, which was plagued by travel restrictions.

“Already we’re seeing the difference in the amount of guns and bullets being sold,” he said.

“It’s a mix of newcomers and the older people who’re being dragged back out by their grandkids who want to try it and take grandad because he knows how to shoot, so it’s becoming a family affair.”

When it comes to good hunting spots, it’s up in the air.

Mr Threlfall said the floodwater in NSW will have drawn a lot of birds north.

“They can smell that and will fly from here to the top of NSW in a day — and they’ll do that regularly, so this myth about ducks being scared off locations isn’t true.

“There are a few swamps with water in them but there are a lot of irrigation channels and private dams around the place you can get access to if you have the connections.”

Hunting can only start at 8am and must stop 30 minutes after sunset each day.

The daily bag limit is four game ducks, and hunting of the blue-winged shoveler and hardhead is prohibited.