No plan to change fallow deer status

There are no plans to change the status of fallow deer in Tasmania from their current designation of “partly protected wildlife.”

“The partly protected status of deer continues to be retained to deliver policy settings, such as the use of permits, maintaining hunting seasons and other regulation enforcement against antisocial behaviour (such as poaching) and monitoring of take and compliance,” Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jane Howlett said.

The introduced feral pests are considered a “partly protected wildlife” species in Tasmania.

The species is hunted recreationally, and the government is in charge of population control for fallow deer.

The Minister's statement follows a prominent Northern Midlands woolgrower backing a growing call for the State Government to do more to control destructive fallow deer.

Simon Cameron from Kingston at Conara wants fallow deer to be considered an invasive species rather than a partially protected one.

“We just need to get over that and the Government has got to lead the way in increasing measures for reducing the deer population,” Mr Cameron said.

“Deer are dangerous, especially when driving around here at night.”

Mr Cameron also described deer as “ecologically and financially damaging’’.

“The government hasn’t been prepared to come to grips with the damage that continues to be done.

“And the other thing about deer – which never gets a mention – it they’re ruminants and they just add to the greenhouse gas issue.”

Ms Howlett said the Tasmanian Government understood the concerns of the agricultural sector about this issue.

“We back in our farmers and the contribution they make to our economy and their communities,” she said.

“The Tasmanian Wild Fallow Deer Management Plan 2022-27 identifies how deer are to be managed across the Tasmanian landscape and zones the land into areas where deer are sustainably managed down as a recreational hunting resource and where they should be removed or controlled,” Ms Howlett said.

“More than $4 million has been invested into the Wild Fallow Deer Implementation Strategy, which includes actions such as the peri-urban deer control program, assessments, monitoring, trials, property-based wildlife management, deer farm compliance and the PWS aerial deer control program.”

Ms Howlett said the Department of Natural Resources and Environment continued to engage with landowners and communities across the state to assist in developing deer control operations that were “relevant and sustainable”.

“Landowners have more access than ever through various permits across the zones to manage deer numbers down,” she said.

“Work is currently under way to increase private and public land access for recreational hunters to sustainably manage deer.”

“The department’s peri-urban deer project is aimed at developing viable field-based options in collaboration with local government, landholders and communities to reduce deer populations in urban areas, with four initial areas of focus across the state and a program review later in 2025.

“The 2024 aerial survey of fallow deer and forester kangaroo has concluded and findings from the survey are expected to be released later in 2025 to outline best accurate estimates of populations and locations to inform the response.”