The National Feral (sic) Deer Plan draft is out for public consultation.
Currently, the plan actively demonises deer, undermines game status, and completely ignores recreational hunting.
It doesn’t consider the nuance required when discussing wild deer and their management. And seeks to create a one size fits all approach via the development of toxic baits and the suggestion that eradication is possible.
You can write a submission and share your opinion on the plan.
Consultation on the Plan closes on Monday, 20 March 2023. You can provide feedback via email to: coordinator@feraldeerplan.org.au or via www.feraldeerplan.org.au.
Considerations for your submission
Your submission should reflect your values. To help guide your submission, please consider the following topics and resources.
Eradication
No introduced animal has ever been eradicated from any continent despite numerous attempts[1]
The plan has the opportunity to mature the conversation away from the unachievable.
Toxic solution & Animal Welfare Concerns
The plan’s priority to develop toxic baits is misguided and is contrary to the values of a modern society that values sustainable wild food resources.
Baits are indiscriminate and inhumane; they pose significant primary, secondary, and tertiary poisoning risks to non-target species, including humans and other wild animals such as the Dingo, Wedgetail Eagles, Crows, Currawongs, Brush-tailed Possums, Bush Rats, and Goannas.
Demonisation of Deer
The plan incorrectly refers to deer as Feral 393 times. It has a stated goal not to demonise them, yet it does not refer to them correctly.
It irresponsibly refers to deer as “Australia’s next rabbit plague”. This is entirely unsupported and is an inappropriate comment. Whilst not true, it contradicts the plan’s aim of not demonising deer.
The misunderstanding of recreational hunting and game status
The plan wrongly infers that game status and deer management are mutually exclusive.
Recreational hunting exists in Victoria and Tasmania in conjunction with ongoing deer management from landholders.
The ‘game’ classification of deer under the Wildlife Act 1975 does not prevent their control when they are causing damage to the environment or property.[2]
In Tasmania, where public land hunting is allowed, and game status is granted to Wild Fallow deer, the deer population has been reduced to only 5.4% growth per annum[3]. Without enabling recreational hunting contributing to the take of wild deer, the annual growth rate would have been around 27% per annum[4].
Health benefits to the population
A 2019 report commissioned by the Federal Health Department explains that recreational hunting “provides an opportunity for participants to engage in physical activity, and hunters and shooters are more likely to be active than the general population.”[5]
The plan had the opportunity to support recreational hunters, who remove the most deer from the landscape, reducing deer impacts, utilising the venison, and delivering better health outcomes to participants. Instead, the plan conveniently needs to understand the motives of recreational hunting and instead champions the development and deployment of toxic poisons. These will affect deer harvest rates and utilisation negatively.
[1] Eradication of Australia’s vertebrate pests: A Feasibility Study, Bomford M & O’Brian P.
[2] https://www.environment.vic.gov.au/invasive-plants-and-animals/deer-control-program
[3] Baseline aerial survey of fallow deer population, central and north-eastern Tasmania 2019
[4] Baseline aerial survey of fallow deer population, central and north-eastern Tasmania 2019
[5] Economic and social impacts of recreational hunting and shooting 2019.
Do you want to get the last Australian Deer news, events, updates & competitions directly to your inbox?
Enter your name & email below and we'll make sure you're the first to know!
