'Us duck hunters': Victorian watchdog accused of siding with shooters

Complaints have been made against the Game Management Authority, which oversees duck hunting in Victoria. (Supplied: RSPCA)

Victoria's duck hunting watchdog has been accused of turning a blind eye to illegal behaviour by shooters while bullying wildlife rescuers and anti-hunting campaigners.

The Game Management Authority has been criticised for posting information about wildlife rescuers and protesters on social media.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell is calling on the state government to scrap its plan to merge the Game Management Authority with the Victorian Fisheries Authority.

Victoria's hunting watchdog has been accused of turning a blind eye to illegal hunting behaviour while bullying anti-duck shooting campaigners.

The Game Management Authority (GMA) is the current regulator of hunting in Victoria but is set to be merged with the Victorian Fisheries Authority to create Outdoor Recreation Victoria.

Protesters and wildlife rescuers are so worried by the alleged unfair treatment that they have made formal complaints to the state's integrity agencies, including the state's anti-corruption commission.

Some duck rescuers have accused the Game Management Authority of unfair treatment. (ABC News: Rhiannon Stevens)

On its Facebook page, the GMA has posted photos and the hometown locations of rescuers it has successfully fined for breaching duck hunting rules, leading to abuse and even death threats against animal activists.

In one case, a man from Maldon, who the ABC has decided not to name, received a threat he would be drowned. His image was also posted on GMA's Facebook page and its official website.

"It would be irresponsible not to be scared — you're dealing with men with firearms," the man said.

The GMA said it used its website and social media to raise awareness of public safety, hunting laws and regulations, and the penalties issued by the courts for compliance outcomes.

At a March meeting in Bendigo hosted by Field & Game — a club and lobby group for hunters — a GMA officer told hunters not to denigrate protesters, to make prosecution of rescuers easier.

"It's very nice if it looks all prim and proper on our end and we can make the protesters look like the fool," he said in a recording provided to the ABC.

He also used the term "us duck hunters" when imploring shooters to follow the rules and to not give any animal activists any "ammunition".

The Game Management Authority has been accused of siding with hunters. (ABC News: Jane Cowan)

The officer also explained to those at the meeting that while it was great to see children