Australian Duck Contest

Worth Mathewson

Active member
While I am on the subject of Australia, I will mention a duck hunting contest that Field & Game use to, or still does, hold. It was during the years of the seven duck limit. Now that I think of it, the current Victoria limit was 4 this year so the contest wouldn't work. But what was entailed was two hunters formed a team. Seven species of ducks were given point numbers. The most uncommon species was given 7 points, then the next 6 and on down the line to the most common, which was 1 point. For example over here my guess is that the canvasback would be the 7 point bird. Or since we have more waterfowl species the number species could be raised to 10, perhaps 12? At any rate, the team could only shoot one duck in each point rating. In other words they couldn't shoot 3 or 4 or 7 of the 7 point duck, or the 4 point duck etc. The contest was limited to one day. The teams of hunters would often start scouting several days before the contest. Frequently they would split up to cover more areas. I can't remember with certainty what the high point duck was when I was down there during the contest, but I think it was the pink eared duck. And my guess is that the number 6 point duck was a hardhead. On the contest day one hunter would go after a high point duck while the other would go for another. Most of them kept in touch via phone so they wouldn't both shoot the same species, such as both getting a 3 point duck. Most of the time they would rejoin if they had taken some high point ducks. At the end of the contest the team's total points were added up. The perfect score would be 28. No team made that while I was there, but was told it had been done. I do recall that several teams got the 7 point duck. I am not much on contests concerning wildlife, but this one seemed to me to be acceptable. One year my friend, John Byers, and his friend, Don Rhodes, formed a team. They hunted hard but only got a 5, 3, 2, 1 point duck for a total of 11 points. In total, not that many ducks were killed and everybody had a good day. There was an entry fee charged and the funds went to Field & Game for waterfowl related projects. Best Worth
 
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