Review of the management of feral animals and their impact on ...

5.6 Management <strong>of</strong> <strong>feral</strong> deer
Management strategies for <strong>feral</strong> deer are still in <strong>the</strong>ir infancy due to only recent
realisation by many resource managers that deer are becoming a substantial pest. This
is evident by <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> effective legislation governing <strong>the</strong> <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> wild deer
in Australia <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> general lack <strong>of</strong> knowledge <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing by l<strong>and</strong> managers
<strong>of</strong> deer ecology, <strong>impact</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>management</strong> methods. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> key priorities for <strong>feral</strong>
deer <strong>management</strong> in Australia must be <strong>the</strong> addressing <strong>the</strong> issue <strong>of</strong> deer escaping from
farms <strong>and</strong> forming new populations or bolstering those already in <strong>the</strong> wild. Moriarty
(2004) suggests that many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> newly established deer populations are prime targets
for eradication. If escapes from deer farms can be managed, immigration into <strong>the</strong>se
populations will most likely not occur <strong>and</strong> control efforts have a high probability <strong>of</strong>
achieving eradication. Where populations are well established, containment through
sustained control efforts may prove to be a better use <strong>of</strong> resources, unless <strong>the</strong> deer are
causing socio-economic or environmental damage, in which case eradication should
be <strong>the</strong> goal. From a survey <strong>of</strong> 268 government agency l<strong>and</strong> managers across Australia,
Moriarty (2004) reported that only 74% <strong>of</strong> respondents managed deer in <strong>the</strong>ir area.
The main <strong>management</strong> methods utilised were ground shooting (28%), aerial shooting
(21%), sustainable harvest using hunters (15%), trapping (6%), fencing (6%),
mustering (2%) <strong>and</strong> repellents (1%). Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, 65% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> respondents indicated
that <strong>the</strong>y believed current <strong>management</strong> techniques for deer were inadequate.
Recreational hunting
Recreational hunting is commonly associated with <strong>the</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> deer populations in
Australia. Recreational hunters have been implicated in <strong>the</strong> deliberate release <strong>of</strong> deer
into remote conservation parks in order to provide game for hunting. In fact, over half
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>feral</strong> deer populations in Australia are thought to have been translocated
illegally (Moriarty 2004). The ease with which live deer can be purchased <strong>and</strong>
translocated assists this <strong>and</strong> tighter regulation <strong>of</strong> farmed deer stocks needs to occur. In
some states, <strong>the</strong> hunting <strong>of</strong> deer is regulated by State conservation agencies, however
in New South Wales <strong>the</strong> hunting <strong>of</strong> deer in national parks is specifically excluded in
<strong>the</strong> Game <strong>and</strong> Feral Control Act 2004. Controlled recreation hunting <strong>of</strong> deer
populations may significantly reduce control costs to l<strong>and</strong> managers <strong>and</strong> potentially
provide enough pressure to prevent <strong>the</strong> populations exp<strong>and</strong>ing. The activity may even
be incorporated into an integrated eradication program. This <strong>management</strong> strategy
may be a useful option in regions where resources to control <strong>feral</strong> <strong>animals</strong> are
restricted. However, care must be taken with such an approach to ensure that <strong>the</strong>
control pressure is adequate <strong>and</strong> that l<strong>and</strong> managers ensure <strong>the</strong> hunting is for control
purposes <strong>and</strong> not a supplementary source <strong>of</strong> income.
Ground shooting
Ground shooting has commonly been used to control deer populations along <strong>the</strong> east
coast <strong>of</strong> Australia (NPWS NSW 2002). This humane technique is target specific, <strong>and</strong>
appropriate for more remote or isolated areas where deer are having <strong>impact</strong>s. Shooting
can help remove deer where <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>the</strong> greatest negative <strong>impact</strong> on <strong>the</strong>
environment <strong>and</strong> reduce <strong>the</strong> potential for future population growth. Unless, herds are
small, shooting may not be effective for eradication due to dispersal <strong>and</strong> wary adults.
All shooting should be undertaken in accordance with DEH St<strong>and</strong>ard Operating
Procedures.
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