Royal National Park, Bundeena: Illegal hunters shoot deer, homes with arrows

Sutherland Shire residents are living in fear as illegal hunters use the Royal National Park as their playground, with deer and homes being shot at with bow and arrows.

“Crazed, bloodthirsty killers” are using the Royal National Park in the Sutherland Shire as an illegal hunting ground — with injured deer found with arrows lodged in their heads and chest — while residents reveal their homes have been shot at by hunters.

Deer shot in the torso in the Royal National Park at Bundeena. Picture: Sue Zoomer - Supplied

Sutherland Shire residents, through Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst, have called on NSW Police to ramp up investigations into illegal deer hunting with the Upper House representative questioning Police Minister David Elliott over the number of incidents reported to Sutherland Police.

Deer in Sydney's south have long been slaughtered by trophy hunters in a spate of attacks close to homes.

“One Bundeena resident said she had discovered two deer who had been shot by arrows in just a few days,” Ms Hurst said. “One was found with an arrow in her side, while the other had an arrow through his antler around March 22 and 23.”

Ms Hurst said NSW Police needed to investigate reports of illegal deer hunters in the Royal National Park.

“These are crazed, bloodthirsty killers that are not only placing animals in harm’s way, but also nearby residents,” Ms Hurst said.

Pictured is Emma Hurst, Animal Justice Party MLC. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“These illegal hunters are leaving deer to painful, drawn out deaths for sport and well known research has found that people who harm animals have a tendency to also harm other people.”

The Animal Justice Party representative said there was a need to increase penalties for illegal hunting — which is capped at an $11,000 fine and six months imprisonment.

“The penalty needs to be matched with the $40,000 fine and 12 months in prison that animal abusers face,” she said.

In response to questions put by Ms Hurst, the Police Minister said there had only been one report of deer killed or injured by arrows to Sutherland Police in the past three years, while no penalty notices were issued as a result of the incident.

Deer shot through the antler in the Royal National Park. Picture: Sharon Davidson - Supplied

A Sutherland Police spokesman said officers had joined forces with National Parks to investigate the incidents reported in March and called on anyone with information to come contact police.

Maianbar resident Sharon Davidson discovered a deer, which she feeds regularly, had been shot through the antler in March.

“I was shocked to discover this poor deer had been shot by an arrow,” she told the St George Shire Standard. “A neighbour contacted Parks and Wildlife in an effort to help the poor thing, but I have not seen it since.

There is a long history of illegal and trophy hunting of deer in the Royal National Park, with several residents raising concerns over hunting close to homes.