Duck
HUNTING
There are duck hunting seasons each year in South Australia where hunters are permitted to take specific species.
The 2025 Duck Season is still closed however has been announced see details below.
Open Duck season from 22nd March 2024 to 29th June 2024.
Bag Limit of 6 ducks with no more than 2 mountain duck
hunting permitted between sunrise and sunset
The species to which the open season applies is limited to the following:
• Grey Teal (Anas gracilis)
• Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea)
• Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
• Australian Shelduck (mountain duck) (Tadorna tadornoides)
• Maned (Wood) Duck (Chenonetta jubata)
Open Quail Season 26th April 2024 to 27th July 2024
Bag Limit 15.
please read all permit conditions given when you receive permits.
www.environment.sa.gov.au/ hunting for more info. Outside of an open season, all ducks are protected and must not be taken.
To hunt duck during an open season:
obtain a duck hunting permit which includes successfully completing a Waterfowl Identification Test
follow the open season’s hunting restrictions.
Read the code of conduct for the humane destruction of birds found here
For information about the duck and quail open seasons, including what permits are required visit the Department for Environment and Water’s website.
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Patience can be the difference between meat for the table and an empty bag.
Think about the shot you are going to take. It only takes a couple of pellets
accurately placed to humanely take a bird. Don’t shoot beyond your skill
level. Put time into hides, decoys and calling. With patience, you are more
likely to fill your bag with fewer shots – and know the ones that got away
weren’t wounded from poor shots or poor choices.
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Don’t fire at game birds flying away from you (‘going away’) at a range further
than 35 metres. A ‘going away’ bird has its vital organs protected by its
gizzard and backbone structure, reducing the likelihood of adequate pellet
penetration into the vital organs. This can result in a lost or wounded bird.
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Decoys can improve your success rate when duck hunting. Rather than
landing directly among the decoys, game ducks generally fly over them and
land some 20 metres beyond, almost always into the wind. With this in mind,
position your stand or blind upwind of your decoys.
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Select hunting sites clear of vegetation and obstacles that will impede
retrieval of birds. Pass up shots where the bird will fall into heavy cover. Also,
never take your eye from where a struck bird falls and don’t shoot at other
birds until you have retrieved your shot bird.
TIPS
Check which species can be hunted each season
The following duck species may be prescribed as being available for hunting in an open season. Each season, you must check which ones. Sometimes not all of them will be available for hunting, if for example environmental conditions indicate one or more species need protection. Remember, you need to pass the Waterfowl Identification Test to be issued an Open Season Duck Hunting Permit.
Check before you go
»» Have you got an Open Season Duck Hunting Permit for the current season?
Permits are only valid for one season.
»» Have you checked the current rules and restrictions this year?
Visit www.environment.sa.gov.au/hunting
»» Have you checked what time dawn and dusk will be? Remember that you must not hunt at night.
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Quail
The only native quail species you may legally hunt in South Australia is the stubble quail, but only during an open season.
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Deer
Deer are classified as feral animals in South Australia and six species can be legally hunted. Deer can be hunted year round and there is no bag limit.
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Feral Animals
Hunting other feral animals, foxes, cats, pigeons, rabbits, and goats requires a basic hunting permit, and can be carried out on both private and public land.