▁( N y ro ca ) ▁austral is ). ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁L ath am ' s ▁sni pe ▁( G all in ago ▁hard wick ii ) ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁be ▁h unted . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁L ath am ' s ▁sni pe ▁and ▁the ▁Austral as ian ▁sh ov eler ▁are ▁listed ▁as ▁R are ▁under ▁the ▁National ▁Park s ▁and ▁Wild life ▁Act ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁The ▁hard head ▁is ▁listed ▁as ▁V ul ner able ▁under ▁Victor ian ▁legisl ation . ▁ ▁Season ▁ ▁D uck ▁hunting ▁open ▁seasons ▁in ▁South ▁Australia ▁have ▁typically ▁started ▁in ▁February ▁or ▁March ▁and ▁ended ▁in ▁late ▁June . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁unus ually ▁early ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁December , ▁which ▁over la pped ▁with ▁du ck ▁bre eding ▁season , ▁became ▁a ▁subject ▁of ▁public ▁controvers y . ▁Conc ern s ▁were ▁raised ▁that ▁parent ▁birds ▁would ▁be ▁killed ▁while ▁their ▁young ▁were ▁still ▁dependent ▁on ▁them , ▁leading ▁to ▁their ▁ch icks ▁dying ▁of ▁star v ation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁the ▁season ▁comm enced ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁February ▁and ▁ended ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁season ▁comm enced ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁February ▁and ▁ended ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁June . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁season ▁comm