Ducks Were The Losers In Battle Of The Swamp

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday March 20, 1989

By LINDSAY SIMPSON, Chief Police Reporter

They came to Griffith, about 500 all-told, in four-wheel-drives and with aluminium boats.

Some were "Mexicans" from across the border in Victoria, others were shooters from gun dog clubs. There were the Rambos in army camouflage.

On Saturday morning, the official opening of the duck season, the battle-lines at the Barren Box Swamp were drawn. As the first of the hunters'boats slipped into the water about 5am, the Fund for Animals members' cars arrived - Honda Accords, Pajero four-wheel-drives and Mitsubishi Colts. Their owners like to be known as new-wave conservationists.

At 6.45am the first two shots were fired, 15 minutes before the official opening. The only bird in sight from the pontoon, belonging to Leon Cuso, a Ukrainian carpetlayer from Tocumwal, was a "poor man's duck" - the shooters'name for an ibis as it does not have much meat.

Then a "blackie" flies overhead, a prize duck of all "good tucker", says Leon, aiming his 12 gauge shotgun and missing.

Leon and his mate, Ray Holmes, a 62-year-old retired fencer, yell abuse to some "greenies". Best way to get them going, Leon confides, is to drag a dead duck past them on a piece of rope and kick it a few times and say: "It's not quite dead."

Three hours later Leon and his mates have shot three ducks, missed about the same and headed back to the shore.

Back in the camp, the police have arrived and are listening to reports of some conservationists being threatened by a shooter.

In the veterinary hospital, set up on the foreshores of the swamp, Tony Gestier, the vet hired by the Fund for Animals, is administering euthanasia to a little black cormorant with tortured turquoise eyes.

By midday four grey teals, one greater-crested grebe, three "woodies" and one black duck have been brought in dead by conservationists.

The hunters fry some chops and open some stubbies. The conservationists dine on tabouli, cheese sandwiches and Earl Grey tea.

By 2pm the hunters have set up their "duck pluckers", a rotating machine that rips out the duck feathers. They display the duck, bald chested, still with wings on, to passers-by.

By nightfall the conservationists have gone back to Griffith and left the hunters to their campfires. Leon and his mates dine on fried frozen calamari, having finished a kilo of shrimp caught in a nearby stream.

On Sunday morning most of the hunters pack up to leave. Kathy Antram, the office manager for Fund for Animals, does a head count of the 50 dead birds the fund has collected.

Senior Constable Bob Wigg said police have not seized any protected birds and only one hunter has been charged with having nine birds over the quota. This year there have been fewer ducks, fewer hunters and more greenies, he says.