Especially in light of an annual University of New South Wales study of wetlands in the east of the country that found last year waterbird numbers were the lowest on record, with some game bird species numbers down “by an order of magnitude”.

This senseless and cruel "sport" from the dark ages must be banned.

Furthermore, 2016 ground tests revealed lead contamination in a central Victorian rifle range at Sebastopol, with closure to allow for clean up and most likely seepage into a local river.

We can only begin to imagine what decades of lead pellet in our wetland water beds has done, let alone the fish that will feed on the pellets.

This gives rise to the "precautionary principle" and the possible impact of potential lead poisoning on human health caused by fish removed from waterways.

I have written to both the EPA and the Premier of Victoria but to date have not yet had any reassurance that testing has begun.

I cannot let your article about local MP Daniel Young and duck shooting (”Hunting a family matter: MP”, Bendigo Advertiser, March 17) go without comment.  

I can only imagine that the article was written to deliberately provoke and upset your readers, as a way to bump up sales maybe.  

Comments such as “Shooting a bird gave Mr Young a ‘sense of excitement’” and “there is, to a degree, a sense of respect for the animal” are offensive to any compassionate person, especially to those who love and cherish our wildlife.  

For Mr Young to say as such is nonsense. How can shooting a defenceless bird dead be showing respect to that bird? It makes no sense.

He goes on to say of anti-hunting opponents: “You've got a loud minority and they're trying to speak for the silent majority.”

What on Earth is meant by that? Yes, there are people speaking up for the silent majority who have to read about this disgusting so-called sport. But I will tell you who animal activists are really speaking up for – and, yes, they are silent – we are speaking up for the thousands of birds who will be shot dead.

Where is their voice, Mr Young? Oh that's right, your excitement and family tradition comes before the well being of our birdlife.

In closing, I say duck shooting is not a sport, it is violence against the defenceless, pure and simple.  

If you want sport, let’s have a level playing field. How about Mr Young and the hunters find a paddock and go hunt each other with their big guns? 

Now, that is a sport I would pay to watch.

Great letter by Peter Simmons regarding Bob Street (“Bob Street a speed trap”, Bendigo Advertiser, March 17).

Why there are no 50km/h signs on both sides of entry into Bob Street is beyond me.

Entering from Lyons Street going south, I received a $311 speeding fine for doing 61km/h.

As there is no signage to indicate a 50km/h zone on the railway side of the road, how do you know the speed limit is 50km/h?

Please somebody put 50km/h signs up.

Maybe if the ABC got rid of some of the unfunny, over the hill, Lib-bashing comedians posing as current affairs commentators, they could put some of the taxpayer funds into local sport, as they are supposed to.