No, but you do need the landholder's express authority for you to hunt on their land. The landholder can give you their authority however they see fit.
Landholders who have a Native Game Bird Management Licence for their property are invited to list their details on a Landholder Register if they want to be contacted by licensed hunters. Not all landholders need help to manage native game birds on their properties and some may already have existing arrangements for hunters to assist them.
The Native Game Bird Landholder Register is available on the Native Game Bird Portal, which is part of online services. You'll be given access to the Portal when we verify your WIT. You need your licence number and security PIN as well as the landholder's licence number to login online.
Endorsed hunters can also contact the Native Game Bird Support Team on 03 5874 2983 for verbal advice.
No, the Game Licensing Unit is part of a government department and can't facilitate hunting opportunities. You will need to seek out hunting opportunities yourself.
Yes, it is mandatory to fill-in your Native Game Bird Hunter Diary with property allocations before hunting and also the numbers of native game birds you harvested during your hunt.
Logon to the Native Game Bird Portal, which is part of online services , to find out the quotas for each property listed on a landholder's licence. You're given access to the Portal when we verify your WIT and update your licence for game birds. You need your licence number and security PIN as well as the landholder's licence number to login online.
If your licence is updated, you can also contact the Native Game Bird Support Team on 03 5874 2983 to find out the quotas.
Landholder licences cover the whole property and the landholder decides the areas they want you to hunt. You should ask the landholder about the property boundaries and permitted hunting areas before hunting.
Yes, the Hunter Register is a list of hunters who are available during the week to help landholders manage native game birds. You need to nominate the regions you can travel to and what days of the week you are available to hunt. It does not cover weekend hunting. Complete the registration form located on the Native Game Bird Management Portal.
Landholders can apply for a Native Game Bird Management Licence for any type of agricultural lands and production, such as wheat, lucerne or oats that are impacted by native game birds. They must have a current licence and individual property allocations for you to be able to hunt though.
To organise to sit the WIT, submit Form GB-W Expression of Interest – Waterfowl Identification Test (PDF, 100.74 KB) or contact the Wildlife Management Team on gamelicensing.southern@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
You need to use one diary form for each time you enter and leave a property on a hunt.
When you notify us of your WIT number, we need to verify it before we can send out your Native Game Bird Hunter Kit, which includes the Hunter Diary. Verification can take over a week so if you are able to provide us with a copy of your WIT certificate or Victorian Game Licence card that shows your WIT number we'll be able to send out the kit sooner.
If you prefer to use your smartphone, use the digital Hunter Diary form (PDF, 721.94 KB). Instructions are available on how to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app (PDF, 700.13 KB) and use your phone to complete the diary.
There are 10 species of ducks that can be harvested on authorised properties in NSW under the Native Game Bird Management Program:
Note: Each individual species of duck listed above can only be harvested on properties where an approved property allocation has been issued for that species.
You can apply for either a NSW General or NSW Restricted Game Hunting Licence , issued by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Game Licensing Unit, to hunt game species in NSW .
A NSW General Game Hunting Licence is the minimum requirement to participate in the Native Game Bird Management Program.
You will also need to have your NSW Game Hunting Licence upgraded to include endorsement for native game birds. To do this you need to pass the Waterfowl Identification Test (WIT) and provide your authorised WIT number to DPI.
No. You can only hunt ducks on properties that are covered by a Native Game Bird Management (Owner/Occupier) Licence.
Each property covered by a Native Game Bird Management Licence has a set allocation of individual species that may be harvested. When you ask for express authority to hunt, you should find out the landholders licence number so you can look up their property allocations by logging onto the Native Game Bird Portal .
Yes, you can hunt on dams or storage water including creeks as long as it is part of the property that is licensed. You can't shoot across creeks or rivers that aren't covered by a Native Game Bird Management (Owners/Occupiers) Licence. This includes any stream frontage public land that may be bordering private property. You should check property boundary information before hunting.
Yes, but only if the ducks are on land subject to a native game bird management licence. You need to use a light of sufficient brightness that enables you to clearly see and identify your target species, and the ducks must be in the immediate vicinity of a planted crop.
Yes, the use of decoys and callers to assist with hunting is recommended.
Yes, but you must have the landholders consent to use a dog and then only use them for retrieval of harvested ducks.
You may use all shot types when hunting ducks in NSW.
You may only use shotguns not exceeding 12 gauge or two barrels when hunting ducks in NSW.
Yes, we encourage you to utilise ducks you harvest under the program.
No, the program does not require you to tag the harvested ducks you take home, however we recommend that you check with your local state authority if you will be taking them out of NSW.
Your Hunter Diary needs to be filled in meticulously as it is evidence of the place and time you harvested the ducks.
Yes, you are required to lodge your harvest return within 14 days of finishing your hunt. Harvest returns can be lodged by phoning 02 6051 7772, emailing gamelicensing.southern@dpi.nsw.gov.au or online via the Native Game Bird Portal.
If you didn't hunt, or if you didn't harvest any game birds on a hunt, you do not need to submit a nil return.
No, accurate reporting of your harvests is encouraged so we can have the best possible data available for the program in the future.