Tasmania Loosens Deer Shooting Rules Amidst Farmer and Shooter Concerns

The Tasmanian government is loosening rules for shooting deer as their numbers continue to soar, but both farmers and shooters are arguing the changes still fall short.

A new permit system will allow landholders to shoot deer year-round without quotas, bag limits, or tagging requirements.

The exception is in what is called "deer management zone one", where restrictions still apply, including quotas, bag limits and tags.

Zone one is where deer are in their highest numbers. It covers the midlands, Central Highlands and northern regions.

Tas Farmers chief executive officer Nathan Calman said he was disappointed restrictions still applied in the areas hardest hit by deer.

Announcement a missed opportunity: Farmers

Mr Calman said irrigation had transformed the region covered by deer management zone one into high-value agricultural land, but that had also increased the impact of rising deer numbers.

"That's where these high levels of deer are now just thriving and causing huge losses for producers in many cases," he said.

Tas Farmers made a submission on the state's new fallow deer policy late last year. It was one of 800 submissions received.

The submissions were made public in March, and Mr Calman said there was broad support for removing tagging requirements.

"During the consultation around those changes, there was majority support for removing the need to tag male deer at all; we saw that as an unnecessary element of red tape," he said.

The Natural Resources and Environment Department (NRE) stipulates that immediately after taking an adult male deer, a tag with the shooter's details must be attached to the deer's antler as legal proof of a lawful harvest.

While Primary Industries Minister Gavin Pearce said the government was "taking strong action to slash red tape and unlock land to reduce the number of wild fallow deer across the state", with the rule changes, Mr Calman said today's announcement was a "missed opportunity".

There is also concern from the hunting community that restrictions still remain in the midlands, Central Highlands and the north.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Carlo di Falco said without significant changes in zone one, there would not be any meaningful difference.

Changes not enough to 'bring deer numbers down'

The changes announced today follow NRE deer population surveys, which showed deer numbers continued to rise.

"A comparison of the population estimates for 2019 and 2024 calculated within the same area showed a marked increase from 53,660 deer in 2019 to 71,655 deer in 2024," the department said in June last year.

The Invasive Species Council welcomed the changes as a step in the right direction, but not enough to properly tackle the problem.

"This should not be mistaken as a realistic strategy for reducing deer numbers," the council's Tiana Pirtle said.

"The science is also loud and clear: patchy, ad hoc ground shooting is not enough to bring deer numbers down," Dr Pirtle said.

Tas Farmers wants deer declared a pest.

"Deer will remain partially protected, which I think, while they're partially protected, they're protected from reducing in number," Mr Calman said.

Mr Di Falco said that despite the changes, hunters still faced barriers.

He said farmers were still bearing the burden associated with deer numbers in the landscape.

"They're really doing it to enable a recreational pursuit by others."

He flagged farmers seeking compensation for losses if the deer population cannot be reduced.

Meanwhile, Mr Di Falco said it was still hard for shooters to operate.

"Hunters simply can't get a crack at them. The devil is in the details, and until I see how this works in practice, I'll reserve judgement."