The balloted hog deer hunting area in Victoria’s Gippsland Lakes region is expanding significantly as part of the Victorian government initiatives to both manage deer numbers and support outdoor recreation in the state.
Parks Victoria and Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation are extending the area available for balloted Hog Deer hunting on Boole Poole Peninsula from approximately 600ha to 1000ha this month, with the number of hunters permitted in the area increasing from four to six.
The hunting period will remain the same — three designated weeks, running Monday to Friday between February and March each year, and bag limits remain at one stag (male) and one hind (female) Hog Deer per annum; the requirement to hold a valid Game Management Authority (GMA) licence also remains unchanged.
In a media release, Parks Victoria said the change continues the work it undertakes with the Blond Bay Hog Deer Advisory Group, and broader engagement with the Australian Deer Association and the SSAA to provide opportunities for deer hunting on public land across the state.
An official information sheet from Parks Victoria explained the expansion was “to provide increased opportunities for recreational hunting of hog deer in Victoria, in accordance with rules and regulations established by the Game Management Authority,” and went on to note that “hog deer are an introduced species in Australia, defined as protected game wildlife under the Wildlife Act 1975, and are valued by recreational hunters”.
Parks Victoria Gippsland regional director Kerri Villiers said the agency was delighted to offer more space and opportunity for deer hunting in the Gippsland Lakes.
“Victoria’s public land has some of the best deer hunting in Australia and as well as being a valuable outdoor recreation activity it also has a positive impact on the environment,” she said.
The news has been welcomed by hunting organisations, with the Australian Deer Association’s advocacy and deer management director Sean Kilkenny describing it as “another fantastic outcome for recreational deer hunters and regional Victoria”.
“Recreational deer hunting on public land in Victoria is an international attraction; we are grateful to once again be able to contribute to expanding it for future generations to enjoy,” he said.
SSAA Victoria also added its support, with hunting manager David Laird saying the organisation was delighted by the news.
“This will significantly increase the hunting opportunities for Victoria’s hog deer hunters,” he said.
“It is another clear indication of this government’s genuine commitment to increasing access to Victoria’s public land for deer hunting.”
0 Comments