Deer Continue to deliver the big Buck$

A recent report by the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions attempted to quantify the annual costs associated with wild deer in Australia.

It is estimated that wild deer costs $91m a year. The vast majority of this is attributed to the agricultural sector. However, as the report points out, there is limited data to support assumed losses from wild deer in Australia. This is further supported by a survey of land managers that attempted to determine the impact of animals and weeds over 12 months in 2021. Nearly 90% of land managers surveyed reported that wild deer were not a problem, with only 5% suggesting they were a major problem.

This view is also held by cattle farmers who were surveyed and consider wombats and kangaroos to be more serious competitors with cattle than sambar. A view also reflected by farmers in Tasmania when consulted during the drafting of Tasmania’s Wild Fallow deer plan.

The report didn’t attempt to measure the positive impact of wild deer. However, this has started to be measured through government studies in New South Wales, Victoria, and Federally. These reports have highlighted the economic value of recreational deer hunting at well over $300m annually.

Further data is due this year to increase this figure when an economic study from Tasmania is released.

The New South Wales and Victorian figures are also from nearly four years ago, with new studies due to update these figures. These figures are expected to continue to grow, in line with the rising popularity of recreational deer hunting. Victoria alone will surpass the 50,000 licence-holder mark before 2024.

A safe estimate would have wild deer contribute close to $450m annually to the Australian economy and support thousands of jobs. A significant portion of this is distributed from metropolitan areas into regional centres.

It is also important to note that this does not measure the intangible benefits of wild deer and recreational hunting on public land, which provides additional pathways for people to connect to nature and enjoy a better standard of living than the average citizen. Recreational activities such as these and their value are much more appreciated in the post-COVID-19 world.

Whilst it is acknowledged that wild deer can have an impact, their management must be evidence-based. It is often the case that impacts from other species can be wrongly attributed to wild deer, needlessly demonising them and not addressing the core issue.