Deer hunters looking to match-up with farmers

A “matchmaking service” for recreational hunters and property owners is being developed by the State Government in consultation with game hunting advisory bodies to provide more opportunities for the growing number of recreational hunters willing to assist in the management of deer and wallaby populations.

Around 8000 deer and wallaby licences are granted each year, with the number increasing most years, but some hunters are finding it difficult to get onto properties.

While some farmers complain about the damage by deer to their crops due to large numbers, others are protecting the deer so that trophy hunters will pay a premium to shoot a large stag.

Hobart hunter Shannon Vince has resorted to doorknocking properties throughout the midlands and central highlands, references and licences in hand, to try to gain access to a property to hunt.

“I hear farmers complaining that they want the deer and wallaby gone, and the government is spending huge amounts of money culling deer, but many hunters like me aren’t allowed into areas where the deer are breeding,” Mr Vince said.

“I’ve been shooting for 17 years and I’m welcome onto several vineyards and small properties wanting some pest control but I work a full time job, I have two kids, and just occasionally I’d like the opportunity to go for a shot on a bigger property.

“One farmer in the Northern Midlands said deer were doing $30,000 worth of damage a year to his crops, so I emailed him and offered to do some shooting and there was no response.

“I understand people are worried about strangers coming onto their property but I’m willing to meet, build up a rapport, provide testimonials and earn trust.

Mr Vince said that one farm manager said preference was given to family members, a tradition in place for more than 40 years, yet those family members rarely showed up.

“There’s plenty of deer to go around, too many in some areas and Sustainable Timbers Tasmania has some good blocks but they are locked up too.

“One farmer told me there are more than 1000 deer shot on his property every year and they are just pushed into a hole, whereas I would at least use what I kill for food.”

“I know some landowners have been burnt by people who don’t do the right thing, but I wish there was a more fair way to gain access, perhaps with a ballot system.”

The Australian Deer Association's Tasmania coordinator and Tasmanian Game Council representative, Scott Freeman, said that he understands the frustration of recreational hunters but things are slowly changing.

A meeting last Wednesday between the Tasmanian Deer Advisory Committee (TDAC) and NRE made some ground towards opening up more public land for recreational hunting.

“It’s part of the Liberal Party policy to open up more land and we’re also looking into starting up a ‘match-making service’ for private landowners and hunters with an independent body allocating hunters to properties in a fair and equitable system,” Mr Freeman said.

“In the meantime plenty of people join our association and it’s by networking and talking to like-minded people that they gain confidence with a landowner.”

Mr Freeman said that meetings with the former Primary Industries minister Jane Howlett had been progressing well before the recent snap election and the association has now set up a meeting in early October with new minister Gavin Pearce to bring him up to speed in this space.

He said that the ADA Northern Branch has access to some private forest areas in the north of the state, with 45 members involved in a game management program, and vacancies do come up from time to time but in general STT land that was once all open is closed off except for a few spots.

“We were working with them to hopefully open it up again but they’ve stopped talking to us, they won’t even answer emails, so we really hope to get those conversations going again with the new ministers.

Mr Freeman reiterated that Tasmania is unique in Australia when it comes to hunting in general due to it being largely based around wallaby control.

“If you go to Victoria, for instance, you can hunt for deer on public land, but here it’s based around spotlighting wallabies using guns or rifles and it’s all on private land.

“When you’re doing that all year round you gain the confidence of the landowner to allow access for that one month of the year during buck and doe season to take a quality animal to feed the family.

“Sometimes you have to shoot a set number of wallaby a year, cut a load of wood for the landowner and fix the back fence to earn the right to hunt deer - others just want the cash.”

“Good property landowners look after the hunters, giving them use of an old stockman’s house to camp in, providing skinning rooms and such, and the fee to hunt there could be $150 or $450 depending on if you’re willing to cull the possums and wallabies too.

“Some unscrupulous landowners are simply selling off their hunting opportunities and their property protection permits to the highest bidding trophy hunter.”

Mr Freeman was earlier this year instrumental in helping clear up confusion around whether interstate gun license holders could bring rifles into the state under "other approved purposes” for recreational hunting.

“A sustainable policy setting was established to ensure Tasmania can continue to enjoy interstate visitors who inject large volumes of money into the Tasmanian economy while recreational hunting,” he said.

“The Commissioner of Police confirmed that recreational hunting is included within “other approved purposes”, delivering an excellent outcome for licenced firearm owners ahead of the 2025 game licences going on sale through Service Tasmania.”