The Queensland government has released the new Feral (sic) Deer Management Strategy 2022-27 after a consultation process that included over 400 stakeholders.
The responses to the draft strategy consisted of 379 responses to the web-based survey and 24 written submissions made by organisations or individuals. You can read the Australian Deer Association submission here.
The strategy does reflect somewhat of a change in attitude towards the management of deer in Queensland, albeit not a material one that recognises that hunters with public land access are the single largest and most effective cohort at harvesting wild deer.
The strategy provides the following vision and goals:
Vision
Feral (sic) deer are effectively managed to prevent introductions, reduce impacts and limit the distribution of feral deer in Queensland.
Goals
1. Feral (sic) deer are effectively managed using best practice management informed by research.
2. Feral (sic) deer management is effective through partnerships, planning, and collaboration.
3. Feral (sic) deer impacts are widely understood, and land managers have the practical knowledge and tools to control feral deer.
Whereas under the previous strategy recreational hunters barely rated a mention, hunters' values have now at least been recognised as being able to help deliver some objectives.
Pleasingly, animal welfare has now been highlighted and listed as a primary concern when choosing an appropriate control method. In the association's submission, it was highlighted that a shift towards an attempt to control deer using aerial shooting from helicopters delivered poorer animal welfare outcomes.
Whilst the strategy appears to do its best to not address the elephant in the room, which is public land hunting, the association believes the strategy will not be able to deliver its desired outcomes. In doing so missing out on an opportunity to deliver better health outcomes for Queenslanders and the benefit of increased economic activity generated by recreational hunting.
To read the strategy itself, please click here.
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