The opening of the 2020 Tasmanian deer hunting season this weekend provides many Tasmanian hunters and shooters the opportunity to pursue an important tradition and way of life.
We recognise recreational hunters also help manage wild fallow deer populations on both private and public land.
The 2020 deer game season has two parts – an adult male (buck) component and antlerless (doe) component. The buck season opens on 29 February and runs until 5 April 2020. There is now one season for antlerless deer, from 15 March to 15 November 2020.
New measures are in place for the 2020 season, which are aimed at cutting red tape and increasing opportunities for farmers and recreational hunters to manage deer.
Changes include the extension of the game hunting season for antlerless deer, the introduction of five-year crop protection permits for antlerless deer and the removal of quotas and tags for both Game Licences and Crop Protection Permits for antlerless deer.
This year, the Government has also made four additional areas of reserved land available for the 2020 recreational deer hunting season. The new reserves are:
This brings the total number of reserved land areas made available to recreational hunters to 10, as part of our commitment to provide appropriate recreational opportunities to hunters.
Following recent bushfires, the St Paul’s Regional Reserve is closed until further notice to ensure hunter safety is not compromised.
Access to the reserves is managed through a ballot system, which this year attracted 562 individual applications.
Game Services Tasmania staff have completed the adult male deer ballot, and are now drawing the ballot for the antlerless deer season. Successful hunters will receive their authorisations via email before the opening of the season.
For more information about the recreational deer hunting season visit www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/RGL
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