VOTE NOW: Would you order wild Tasmanian deer at a restaurant?

Is there an appetite in the Tasmanian restaurant and grocery market for local wild deer food products? That is what the government is trying to determine. VOTE NOW>>>

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Are you a fan of venison?

Would you like to be able to order wild Tasmanian deer which has been shot to protect crops in a restaurant or butcher rather than see the dead animals buried or burned?

The Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment wants to hear from Tasmanians as it evaluates if there is an appetite for wild fallow deer among consumers.

Fallow deer were introduced to Tasmania in the 1930s and are now a partly-protected wildlife under the Nature Conservation Act 2003.

Wild fallow deer are found in many areas outside the Midlands, where they were originally released, and farmers report significant costs due to the animals damaging crops, forestry and grazing land.

Tasmania also has a number of farms raising deer commercially.

A study has been commissioned by DPIPWE to determine whether it is feasible to conduct a limited fixed-term trial to see if there would be demand for wild deer products – supplied by deer farmers and landholders – for the regulated food and restaurant trade.

Anyone from the Tasmanian community can provide their opinions by completing a short survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/CommunityOpinions.

Questions asked include what Tasmanians think should happen to wind deer hunted in season to protect crops and other natural resources.

Options include, burning or burying the carcasses, allowing hunters and landowners to consume the deer or allowing the meat to be sold to the public if it complies with food safety standards.

Farmers and recreational hunters can also complete a survey giving their perspectives at www.surveymonkey.com/r/FarmersDeerSurvey and www.surveymonkey.com/r/RecHunterDeerSurvey

The surveys are open until August 21.