Dean O'Hara, chief executive of the powerful hunters' lobby Field and Game Australia, said the "short, heavily restricted" season would have a negative economic impact on regional communities. "The outcome leaves us with one conclusion: that this is a political compromise, not a decision based solely on the available evidence," Mr O'Hara said in a statement to members on Facebook. "Duck hunting is sustainable even in a challenging environment and as ethical hunters we support decisions that foster healthy duck populations. "We encourage you to make the most of the opportunity and while we understand the small bag limit is little encouragement to travel, we trust you will still make the effort to support those regional communities that are in desperate need of economic activity in the aftermath of the summer bushfires." This year's season had been under a cloud amid a state government impasse, fuelled by internal opposition to the politically sensitive sport and the bushfires that have wreaked havoc on wildlife numbers.

Loading Mr Andrews bypassed his caucus in announcing this year's season, despite overwhelming support for an MP-led motion at the Victorian Labor conference in November which called for a review into wildlife hunting. In growing signs of internal unrest over duck shooting, Melton MP Steve McGhie, and Pascoe Vale MP Lizzie Blandthorn, posted on their respective Facebook pages they were "disappointed" that a season had been called. "At the Victorian State Conference last year, I fully supported and seconded Lizzie Blandthorn's motion calling for the caucus to review the recreational hunting of native waterbirds," Mr McGhie wrote. "I am disappointed that a season has been called. I will continue to advocate on issues of animal welfare."

The Game Management Authority on Wednesday said the restricted season was a "necessary response to the prolonged dry conditions that have led to low duck numbers and reduced habitat". "The Game Management Authority provided its advice on the 2020 duck hunting season to the government prior to the height of the summer bushfires in Victoria," it said in a statement. "The authority has subsequently advised the government that the bushfires have had a minimal direct impact on current duck populations and habitat." BirdLife Australia condemned the Andrews government's decision, saying wetlands should be "safe havens, not a slaughterhouse" for wildlife in the wake of the fires. "Those wetlands that are left will have have larger numbers of birds, many will be drought refugees from further north," said Sean Dooley, the group's public affairs manager.

Loading "And the ducks just don't need this now, not after the dry conditions we've seen and not after the recent devastating fires. And for the psyche of Victorians, we don't need to see more wildlife killed." In a report published last year, the Environment Protection Authority issued restrictions on the consumption of ducks from some wetlands due to PFAS contamination. PFAS is a hazardous chemical that shut down the Fiskville CFA training college in 2015, and more recently was one of the chemicals found in the soil on the site of the West Gate Tunnel project, leading to delays in its construction. For more information on the season, visit: www. gma.vic.gov.au/media-releases/2020-duck-hunting-season-arrangements