Unlicensed duck hunter caught illegally shooting protected species

The 62-year-old's licence expired in December 2022 and had not been renewed when he shot a hardhead, which is listed as being a threatened species, in a creek area near Cavendish in May 2023.

He shared a video of the duck to a public duck hunting Facebook page which was later deleted.

But someone saved the post and forwarded it to the Game Management Authority.

An investigation later revealed the man was unlicensed.

Prosecutor Denny Meadows told Hamilton Magistrates Court on February 28, 2024, licensing and the protection of wildlife was an important part of the game management regime.

He said a duck hunting licence was "not just a technicality" but required a "fit and proper person test".

Mr Meadows said during an interview the man claimed he accidentally shot the hardhead which was retrieved by his dog.

He said he shot other ducks and had taken a video to show "younger blokes" how to properly look after them.

When someone told him it was a hardhead he deleted the video.

The man said he believed he had renewed his licence.

A lawyer for the man said he had implicated himself on a public game shooting page.

"It was a mistake," she said. "It would not be useful to impose a significant financial penalty."

Magistrate Franz Holzer said the man had led a blameless life but there was merit in the prosecutor's submissions.

"(A licence) is not merely administrative, there's a factor involved in the responsible use of hunting and also the preservation of wildlife that are protected," he said.

The man was placed on an adjourned undertaking without conviction and ordered to pay $300 to the court fund.

The 2024 duck hunting season starts on April 20, 2024 and ends 30 minutes after sunset on June 5.