About Victorian Duck Hunters Association
The Victorian Duck Hunters Association was established for hunters by duck hunters and aims to promote the positive aspects of duck hunting and hunting in general.
VDHA founded in 2020 after a group of individuals decided to turn their shared interests into an official association. Since then we’ve grown as a community, and have expanded what we offer to our members. When you decide to join us, you too will gain access to various member benefits including pbulic liability insurance, most importantly, to a group of like-minded individuals who are just as passionate as you are about keeping duck hunting alive in Victoria.
Objectives
What Does the VDHA do?
Education
Our members are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to duck hunting. It is important that this knowledge is passed through to younger generations to hunt responsibly. VDHA encourages young and upcoming hunters to engage positively in hunting and harvesting waterfowl.
​
VDHA seeks to educate the wider community about duck hunting through positive social engagement. Our plans to work with government agencies to preserve state game reserves also aims to share with non-hunters the benefits to the ecosystem realised through safe and responsible hunting practices.
Support
Hunters have the right to engage in waterfowl hunting in Victoria. A primary function of the VDHA is to support hunters in this activity through membership offerings, and by supporting those who have been targeted by radical anti-hunting activists that continually place themselves and hunters in danger by unlawfully entering state game reserves.
​
VDHA also seeks to support the Game Management Authority to achieve appropriate outcomes for the hunting community and broader environmental stakeholders, including endangered species and appropriate management of wetlands.
Sustainability
Sustainability is at the core of the VDHA's activities. All decisions, however inconvenient, are made on the fundamental premise of preserving wildlife species and their habitat. In line with this, VDHA aims to seek the source of the truth behind the data and science that guides these decisions.
​
VDHA seeks to liaise with key stakeholders relevant to the decisions made regarding duck hunting in Victoria, including sourcing independent, verified data to assist with decision making.
​
VDHA is committed to fostering the conservation of wetlands and state game reserves.
How Will VDHA Meet These Objectives?
Take a Look
Political Advocacy
VDHA plans to advocate for the rights of duck hunters by being a voice in the political decision making process.Â
Unfortunately, hunting has become a political game and the decisions made for hunters are done by those who are not hunters. Moreover, significant pressure on these processes from minority groups influences decisions in a way adverse to the hunting community.Â
We plan to engage with the broader community to generate data that can better guide these decisions and provoke healthy conversation amidst political circles that balances the decision-making of the rights of hunters.
Genuine Reason
The Victorian Duck Hunters Association is seeking to provide members with genuine reason for holding a firearms licence - a critical component for obtaining and holding a licence.Â
In 2022, VDHA hopes to be able to provide this to members as an incorporated part of VDHA membership.
Electronic Membership
The VDHA is committed to sustainability and the responsible harvesting of waterfowl. Adding unnecessary plastic into the environment is against this core value.Â
VDHA aims to upgrade its membership platforms and offer members digital membership cards, thereby reducing the requirement to print individual member cards and post these to members.
State Game Reserves
State Game Reserves are an integral part of the ecosystem, and preserving their habitat and improving the environment where possible is a key focus of the VDHA.
In 2022, the VDHA is looking to become involved in the management of state game reserves. This provides a safe and sustainable place to hunt for members and the wider hunting community as well as ensuring the ongoing conservation of the reserves.