Wild Ducks and Geese in Hunting: Welfare Standards and Reform

Waterfowl hunting kills tens of millions of ducks and geese annually worldwide, with welfare concerns including wounding rates, non-toxic shot requirements, and lead poisoning in non-hunted birds.

Key Facts

Waterfowl hunting is a major recreational activity across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia
Wounding rates in duck hunting — birds hit but not retrieved — are estimated at 20 to 30% in some studies
Lead shot was banned for waterfowl hunting in the US in 1991 due to secondary poisoning of swans and other species
Non-toxic steel shot has lower density than lead, reducing effective range and increasing wounding rates at longer distances
Remaining lead shot in wetland sediments continues to poison waterfowl and their predators decades after bans
Migratory waterfowl hunting seasons and bag limits are set under international agreements in North America and Europe
Some decoy hunting methods using live birds as lures are banned in many jurisdictions on welfare grounds

Welfare Considerations

Waterfowl hunting presents welfare concerns both for the birds that are killed and for those that are wounded and lost. A duck or goose that is hit but not retrieved may survive for hours or days with serious injuries before dying. The transition from lead to non-toxic shot, while necessary for ecosystem reasons, has paradoxically increased wounding rates at range in some situations because of inferior ballistics. Lead poisoning from ingested shot pellets in wetland sediments continues to affect swans, geese, and other non-hunted species. Welfare improvements include better hunter marksmanship training, range limitation enforcement, and full transition to high-performance non-toxic shot types beyond basic steel.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory non-toxic shot requirements for all waterfowl hunting, not just designated wetlands
Advocate for wounding rate monitoring and reporting as a requirement of waterfowl hunting licences
Support wetland remediation programmes that remove legacy lead shot from contaminated sediments
Engage with waterfowl hunting organisations on marksmanship training to reduce wounding rates