Tasmanian Wild Fallow Deer Implementation Strategy 2022-27

The Tasmanian Government has released the Tasmanian Wild Fallow Deer Implementation Strategy 2022-27.

Overall, the plan is a step in the right direction and is underpinned by the fundamentals of evidence-based deer management.

The management plan consists of four objectives:

1. Effectively manage the impacts of wild fallow deer throughout the state whilst maintaining a traditional and sustainable hunting resource
2. Empower farmers, foresters, and other land managers to directly manage deer and to work collaboratively with hunters to achieve tailored deer management objectives
3. Continue to provide evidence-based deer management
4. Improve community involvement, education, and awareness of deer management

The government recognises that the implementation of the strategy cannot be achieved by the government alone, and looks to work together with stakeholders such as, land managers, local governments, peak bodies and associations such as the ADA.

Previously, the Bob Brown Foundation and the Invasive Species (ISC) council teamed up in an attempt to bully the Government away from evidence-based management and subscribe to their ideologically driven views underpinned by a rather ambitious attempt at maths to create a problem that doesn’t exist.

The ISC has also wildly claimed, that under this plan "there will be up to a million deer, wreaking havoc on farms", yet, data from actual farmers, published by the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) revealed that deer were only number six in a list of issues for pastoralists, behind the different species of wallabies, cockatoos and feral cats. Previously, John McKew from the TFGA has re-iterated the TFGA's commitment to working proactively and collaboratively with other sensible stakeholders.

The Association is also seeking clarifications around some points in the plan and will make further comments in due course.