Victorian Deer Control Strategy: $1 million to control 1.5 million deer
After almost two years the Andrews Government has finally released its deer control strategy, but it’s more words than action.
FARMERS have lost their bid to have the 1.5 million deer that infest Victoria declared a pest species, under a Victorian Government control strategy released today.
The deer control strategy, which was developed after widespread community consultation, recognises the four deer species that have invaded Victoria are here to stay.
Rather than attempting widespread control measures the Government has opted instead to minimise the spread of the sambar, red, fallow and hog deer into new areas and protect important environmental assets, using regional control plans.
Australian Deer Association executive officer Barry Howlett said the strategy contained some useful elements, but the real test was in how much funding and resources the Government put into regional plans.
“If you’re going to have regional plans, then you need regional co-ordinators who are really well resourced,” Mr Howlett said.
At this stage Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has committed just $1 million under the strategy towards controlling deer in the outer northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
She said the Government would make further investments in areas where it would deliver the greatest benefit to the environment and the community.
But Invasive Species Council chief executive Andrew Cox said he was worried as to whether all the words of the strategy document would actually turn into action.
“People I’ve spoken to say it’s a start, but it’s ($1 million) a small investment in a big problem,” Mr Cox said. “The focus seems to be on urban areas.”
Much of strategy relies on engaging private landholders in assisting to eradicate, control or prevent the spread of deer.
But both Mr Cox said it was hard to rely on landholder effort, while Mr Howitt pointed out that farmers would limit deer control to the point where it no longer effects their profitability “no more”.
The Victorian Farmers Federation is yet to review the control program, but has long called for deer to be declared a pest, rather than protected wildlife under the Wildlife Act.
It means that while deer can be controlled on private land without a permit, any animals found on public land can only be harvested after obtaining an authorisation from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Other strategies outlined by the Government to help control deer, include:
UNDERTAKING a deer distribution survey in Victoria on all present species.
REVIEWING the classification of deer species not present or established in the wild in Victoria (e.g. Chital, Rusa, Wapiti, Sika and any hybrids) and investigate their transition to pest animals under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
AUTHORISING public land managers, such as Parks Victoria, to undertake deer control as required without the need to obtain individual authorisations under the Wildlife Act (Authority to Control Wildlife permits).
COORDINATING an annual forum for land managers and other key stakeholders involved in Regional Plans to share information regarding deer behaviour, distribution, abundance, effectiveness of control programs, impacts and management approaches to inform planning and control programs.
It’s estimated more than 38,000 licensed hunters, harvested an estimated 173,800 deer in 2019, but Mr Howlett said COVID-19 lockdowns had probably cut that number to 70,000 for 2020.
He said there was plenty of evidence to show you could harvest 30 per of deer a year, without reducing the population.
Overall the Government’s strategy found that while recreational hunting was “providing some benefit”, it recognised that it was ineffective, without other means of control.
Some of those other measures that the strategic plan recommended for assesment were:
AERIAL shooting.
INTEGRATED hunting programs to reduce deer density.
THE use of lures and options for baiting deer.
BUILDING up the capacity and training of contractors to control deer with dogs and ground shooting.
COMMERCIAL development of deer products.
ENCOURAGING recreational hunters to shoot more female deer.
IMPROVED trapping techniques.
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