Victorian fox bounty to rise from $10 to $14

Farmers and fox hunters have welcomed the first increase in Victoria’s fox bounty since 2002.

Fox hunter Ken Smith's bounty.

Victoria’s $10 fox bounty has risen to $14 for the first time since 2002.

Agriculture Minister Ros Spence and Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos increased the fox bounty this week as part of their announcement to extend wild dog control across eastern Victoria until January 1, 2028.

Ms Spence said “we are backing farmers by increasing the incentive to participate in fox management.

“Recognising that there has not been an increase in the bounty since it was introduced, this increase will support our farmers on the front line of pest management.”

Simpson-based fox hunter Ken Smith welcomed the decision, given the bounty had remained at $10 since it was first introduced in 2002.

“It’ll definitely encourage more people to get out there and help the farmers,” Mr Smith said.

The $10 fox bounty was introduced as part of a trial in 2002 and if indexed with inflation should have risen to $17.50 by now.

Mr Smith and the other four members of his Fox Shot Club estimate they took out 1400 foxes last year.

He said “it’s nothing on some nights to shoot 20 and be home by midnight”, but other times he might just get six and barely break even once he deducted fuel, vehicle, ammunition and food costs.

A government spokesman said the $14 bounty was funded until June 30 next year, with its continuation dependent on the outcome of the 2025-25 budget.

Mr Dimopoulos said the government would continue to work with landholders, farmers, environmental groups to reduce the impact of foxes on livestock and native wildlife.”

But while the government has put a few more dollars in fox hunters’ pockets, it has dumped the $120 wild dog bounty, as part of its 12-month review into whether wild dog controls should continue.

Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group councillor Peter Star said the main issue was that the government had made “a common sense decision” to continue employing 20-odd doggers to bait, poison and trap wild dogs on crown land within 3kms of farmers’ properties.

As for the loss of the wild dog bounty, Mr Star said “farmers will always shoot wild dogs on their properties, whether there’s a $120 bounty or not”.

Mr Star, along with other local landholders across the northeast and East Gippsland, have spent much of the past year campaigning to keep wild dog controls in place, in the face of a concerted push by dingo conservationists for their statewide protection.