SAFE's duck rescue team sent a strong message to the Department of Conservation (DoC), calling for duck shooting to be banned. Around 20 SAFE volunteers held placards and banners and chanted ‘Shame. Shame. Shame. Duck shooting is lame!'

media article A ‘lame duck' in a wheelchair illustrated the suffering that awaits hundreds of thousands of birds over the next three months. The protest was filmed by One News and TV3 News and campaign director Hans Kriek was interviewed about SAFE's call for DoC to have independent research carried out into the cruelty of duck shooting.

The protestors received plenty of supportive toots from passing cars and handed out leaflets informing the public of the yearly suffering of New Zealand waterbirds.

"The protest was a great success and I hope that DoC will finally listen and start addressing this important issue," says Hans.

A flurry of media attention followed the protest and TV3 ran an opinion poll on whether duck shooting should be banned. To SAFE's delight, 74 per cent of the public want to see an end to duck shooting.

"We are very happy with the public support we are receiving on the duck-hunting issue," says Hans. Duck shooters make up less than one per cent of our population and it is great to see that they are clearly out of step with the rest of the country who overwhelmingly oppose the annual carnage caused by duck shooters."

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Minister told to count the crippled

The 2008 duck-shooting season will open with a lame duck, rather than a bang. SAFE will launch the campaign on the doorsteps of the Department of Conservation (DoC) in Christchurch at 12.30pm today. A wheelchair-bound lame ‘duck' will be amongst demonstrators demanding immediate research into the cruelty of duck shooting.

SAFE is demanding that the Minister of Conservation instigate immediate research into the maiming and crippling of waterfowl caused by duck shooters in New Zealand.

Research conducted overseas concludes duck shooters cause unacceptable levels of suffering. SAFE believes as many as 275,000 ducks, geese and swans in New Zealand, including non-game and protected species, will be left crippled to die a slow and painful death. It is expected one million waterfowl will be shot and killed during the three-month season on New Zealand waterways.

"International research reveals 20 to 45 percent of waterfowl shot by shooters are wounded and not retrieved," says SAFE's campaign director Hans Kriek.

Evidence obtained under the Official Information Act shows that neither DoC or Fish & Game New Zealand hold any information that suggests wounding rates of New Zealand game birds are any lower.

"SAFE is therefore concerned that both departments are prepared to downplay the level of suffering caused by duck shooters when legitimate international data clearly suggests otherwise."

"Three states in Australia have banned duck shooting on cruelty grounds. The results of independent research in New Zealand could well spell the end to recreational duck shooting in this country," says Mr Kriek.

SAFE highlights cruelty

Fine weather saved many ducks during the opening weekend of the duck-shooting season which began on 5 May. Ducks fly out of range when the skies are clear and many a shooter left empty handed, much to the delight of SAFE activists who were on Lake Ellesmere to observe and rescue injured animals. Despite the unfavourable shooting conditions a number of shot but not retrieved animals were found.

"We found a black swan, a paradise shelduck, a mallard and even a young tabby cat that had been shot in the early hours of opening day", says SAFE campaign director, Hans Kriek. "We believe these animals were shot but managed to get away from the shooters, only to succumb from their injuries later on".

SAFE offered a $5000 reward for information leading to the conviction of any duck shooter for animal cruelty. Activists attached reward posters to mai mais and on access gates to wetlands. SAFE wants to see an end to duck shooting, a pastime that kills over a million waterfowl each year and may leave up to 400,000 injured to die a slow and painful death. SAFE's opposition to duck shooting was widely reported with stories on TV One news, TV3 news, all major radio stations and a number of newspapers.

Duck Shoot Cartoon Duck shooting has been banned by three states in Australia on cruelty grounds. SAFE is calling on Chris Carter, the Minister of Conservation, to initiate research into crippling (wounding) rates of New Zealand water birds and is confident that once the research proves the high injury rate, duck shooting will be banned here as well.

Media reports:

TV One news. Keyword: 'Ducks'

SAFE is posting a $5000 reward for any information leading to the successful prosecution of any duck shooter who breaks the law this season.

"Duck shooters will be encouraged to whistle blow on fellow shooters who show a flagrant disrespect for animal life", says campaign director Hans Kriek. "For many years, SAFE activists have observed duck shooters maim and injure large numbers of waterfowl and it is time action is taken to stop this carnage".

SAFE is particularly concerned about duck shooters who persistently shoot out of range, thereby increasing crippling rates. Many shooters also fail to retrieve injured animals or kill the animals inappropriately once caught. Incidences of illegally shooting birds on the water and shooting protected species also occur with great regularity.

"American research involving 75,000 shooters shows that wounding loss for ducks is 30 percent and 36 percent for geese. "If these figures are applied to the New Zealand hunting season, 400,000 ducks and geese can look forward to a slow and painful death over the next few months", says Mr Kriek. SAFE hopes that it's $5000 reward will encourage duck shooters to act more responsible or risk being taken to court for cruelty.

SAFE activists nationwide will be posting the reward posters and also placing them on mai mais soon to be used by duck shooters.

Download the pdf poster

ACTIONS STAGED IN 2006

MOCK DUCK SHOOT AND RESCUE STAGED

SAFE claims duck shooting is a cruel bloodsport that perpetuates violence and irresponsible gun use. Each year SAFE rescue teams scout waterways in search of injured birds. In recent years the focus of SAFE's anti-gamebird hunting campaign has been New Zealand's largest lake, Lake Ellesmere.

"Each year thousands of water birds are shot and left crippled or wounded. SAFE's bird rescue teams have regularly observed duck shooters firing at birds that are out of range for an effective instant kill. This results in birds being hit but not killed outright causing unnecessary suffering and a slow and painful death," says SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek.

SAFE CALLS FOR BAN ON CHILDREN USING FIREARMS

SAFE activists staged a successful mock duck shoot and rescue on Christchurch's Avon River involving children and their parents dressed as shooters in camouflage gear carrying 'shotguns'.

The controversial action was to highlight the lunacy of current firearms legislation that allows children as young as four discharging a firearm. SAFE has called on the Police Minister to amend the Arms Act 1983 to prohibit firearms being used by persons under sixteen years of age.

Protesters

Duck Shooters Protesters

SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek said "Children under sixteen years of age are deemed too young to vote, drink alcohol, undertake jury service or even watch a violent movie, yet are legally allowed to discharge firearms with the intent to kill animals. Anyone over sixteen years of age with a gun and hunting licence can take a child shooting and encourage them to shoot and kill animals. SAFE's call for the Police Minister to ban children from using firearms will save lives."

SAFE believes children who duck shoot cause more bird injuries because children lack the competency and skills necessary to kill birds outright.

SAFE duck rescue teams in Christchurch also scouted Lake Ellesmere over the opening weekend in search of injured birds that would otherwise be left to die a slow death.

ACTIONS STAGED IN 2004

DUCKSHOOTERS URGED TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS

In 2004 duck shooters were told to 'lay down their arms'. The lake resonated to the sounds of war combined with messages of peace and non-violence aimed at discouraging shooters from killing birds. SAFE's massive amplified sound system was mounted onto an ex-army all-terrain vehicle, while SAFE's animal rescue teams scouted shorelines in search of injured and dying birds.

SAFE's shoreline saviours

On the water, SAFE's duck rescue aqua team witnessed ducks and swans being blown out of the sky. Bird rescuers watched helplessly as a swan was shot eight times before being killed. Rescuers also found a black swan that had just been killed. SAFE's campaign director, Hans Kriek, said "It was a sad sight seeing a once majestic bird reduced to a crumpled heap of feathers." Beer bottles and spent cartridges were also collected by rescuers and properly disposed of. Extensive media coverage was extremely positive, with a substantial story highlighting SAFE's rescue efforts on TV3 news.