The Coalition Against Duck Shooting campaign director spoke at a duck rescue information meeting in a bid to galvanise local support.

The meeting came less than three weeks before the Victorian duck shooting season is due to start on March 19.

Last year 13 Ballarat residents were among about 130 duck rescuers who travelled to Victoria's wetlands for the season opening.

Mr Levy said Ballarat campaigners had played a significant role in the protest and he believed the group was close to achieving a state duck shooting ban.

"The recreational shooting of native water birds is just not acceptable, especially now that we're in the 21st century and public opinion is the thing that's going to bring it to an end in Victoria," Mr Levy said.

"These are beautiful native water birds that are part of Australia's heritage, there is no reason to shoot them, other than recreational shooters doing it for fun which is totally unacceptable in this day and age."

Mr Levy said Victorian duck shooters had dropped from about 95,000 in the mid 1980s when the campaign first began, to about 3000.

He believes the Victorian Government is close to introducing a ban on the sport - in line with New South Wales and Western Australia - with pressure mounting from the ALP's own anti-duck shooting lobby.

"I think the final push in having the sport banned will come from the grass roots movement of the Labor party," he said.

About 15 people attended yesterday's information session, which was hosted by the Ballarat Organisation for Animal Rights.