COVID-19 - Good signs for return to hound licence testing

With deer hunting slowly re-starting in Victoria, attention has turned to testing for new hound hunters.

Any hunter wishing to hunt Sambar Deer with the aid of hounds must have a Game Licence that authorises the use of hounds. This applies to all existing and new Victorian and interstate hunters wishing to hunt Sambar Deer with hounds. Juniors (aged 12 to 17 years) and international visitors have the opportunity to hunt without doing the test while under direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid Game Licence and has passed the Hound Hunting Test. For all other hunters, prior to applying for a Game Licence to hunt with hounds, you need to pass the Hound Hunting Test.

Testing has been suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions, as has other Government testing such as drivers and boat licences. There are good signs that this will ease on June 9 along with a number of other activities, subject to the advice from the Chief Health Officer.

We continue to work with GMA to provide opportunities for new hunters to be tested across Victoria.

In the interim, people who want to get into hound hunting can study the guide to the use of hounds for hunting sambar deer in Victoria.