Guy Barnett,Minister for Primary Industries and Water
The Hodgman majority Liberal Government is getting on with the job, delivering a range of measures to help farmers and land owners better manage wild deer populations.
Our focus is on maintaining a sensible balance between managing the impacts of wild deer on agricultural production, conservation areas and forestry, and maintaining deer as a valued recreational hunting resource.
New measures to be in place by 2020 are aimed at cutting red tape and increasing opportunities for farmers and recreational hunters to manage deer.
Landholders will be provided with five year crop protection permits for antlerless deer and quotas and tags will no longer be required for antlerless deer for both holders of crop protection permits and recreational hunters.
Recognising the positive role responsible hunters play in wildlife management, we are also significantly extending the hunting season for antlerless deer, which will now run from February to October.
No changes are being made to the management of male antlered deer.
Holders of crop protection permits and recreational hunting licences will still provide annual take returns to assist with monitoring of deer numbers. This complements Tasmania's first comprehensive state-wide deer census which is now underway using aerial surveying, camera traps and citizen science to inform future deer management strategies.
I acknowledge the constructive advice from the Tasmanian Game Council, TFGA and also the Tasmanian Deer Advisory Committee and the Australian Deer Association who brought forward practical proposals to help improve deer management.
We are committed to implementing our comprehensive response to the Legislative Council Inquiry into wild fallow deer including:
- A new Tasmanian Game Council, chaired by respected former MLC Greg Hall;
- A new Game Services Tasmania within DPIPWE to support landholders, hunters and farmers in effectively managing deer and browsing animals;
- New opportunities for regulated recreational deer hunting in Reserves with access to three additional areas of reserved land made available during the 2019 hunting season and further parcels scheduled to be opened next season;
The Government will monitor the implementation of all these new measures as we continue to deliver on our commitments.
