In Episode 11 of the SSAA Victoria Podcast, Barry Howlett is joined by co-hosts David Laird and Daryl Snowdon, along with special guest Simon Toop, Director of Strategy and Research at the Game Management Authority.

Simon has spent years working at the intersection of wildlife science, hunting policy and game management, and in this episode, we take a deep dive into the science behind Victoria’s duck season.

Before that, the team runs through what’s happening around the traps, including the Ken Lay Rapid Review of Victoria’s firearm laws, issues with Wild Dog baiting, our ongoing case for a proper deer management strategy for Victoria, the need for a Hunters for the Hungry program for Victoria, and update on the Game Changing huts trial and a report on the awesome Mansfield Hunting & Fishing Expo. 

The main discussion focuses on how duck season is actually set in Victoria, including the adaptive harvest management (AHM) system used to determine season length and bag limits based on environmental conditions and waterfowl populations. READ MORE ABOUT AHM

Simon also explains the work of the Waterfowl Wounding Reduction Action Plan (WWRAP) and the collaboration between hunters, scientists and government to reduce wounding rates through improved hunting practices. READ THE WATERFOWL WOUNDING REDUCTION ACTION PLAN

The episode finishes with a look at current and future game research projects in Victoria, including deer movement studies, hog deer genetics and the growing need for robust, evidence-based wildlife management. CHECK OUT SOME COOL DUCK RESEARCH

It’s a wide-ranging conversation that explores how science, hunting and policy come together in Victoria’s game management system.