Anger as Victorian duck hunting season gets green light

There will be a bag limit of four birds a day, with people only allowed to hunt between 8am and 30 minutes after sunset. 

Hunters will be prohibited from killing the protected blue-winged shoveler and hardhead species.

The state government had been weighing up whether or not this year's season would go ahead following repeated calls for a ban from animal welfare groups. 

The government on Friday instead announced a committee would examine recreational native bird hunting in the state, given the issue was becoming "increasingly contested".

The Victorian Greens have criticised the government for pushing ahead with the season, saying it caved to pressure from the shooting lobby.

"To green light this year's season and send countless more ducks to slaughter for 'sport' is nothing short of inhumane," Greens spokeswoman Katherine Copsey said.

The RSPCA and Wildlife Victoria were also "incredibly disappointed" in the government's decision.

"Regardless of the reduced season length, based on a 35-day hunting season approximately 87,000 birds will be killed ... and up to 35,000 wounded and left to die," RSPCA Victoria chief executive Liz Walker said.

The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia was also unhappy with the plans, saying there was no rationale to shorten the hunting season.

The Legislative Council committee will look at the operation of the annual hunting seasons as well as arrangements in other states, environmental sustainability, and social and economic impact.

The committee will hold public hearings to hear from hunting associations, animal welfare groups and regional communities.

The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia's Victorian hunting development manager David Laird said the new legislative committee was unnecessary, 

"The South Australian government took a similar proposal to their recent state election," Mr Laird said.

"It looks both timid and tricky for the Victorian government to have not done the same."

The government will move to establish the committee during the next sitting week in March and a final report will be tabled by August 31.