Great news! The 2022 public land hunting ballot for fallow deer in Tasmania is now open. If you want to hunt fallow bucks (or stags) on one of nine public reserves in Tasmania, you have until 15 January 2022 to enter the ballot.
Hunting groups must nominate a party leader to enter the ballot on their behalf. At this stage, only online applications will be considered.
DPIPWE advises that some reserves will be closed to hunting for certain periods to minimise habitat disturbance during breeding season for certain species.
In 2022, public land hunting will be allowed on the following public reserves:
- Great Western Tiers Conservation Area
- Top Marshes Conservation Area
- Five Mile Pinnacles Conservation Area
- Central Plateau Conservation Area: Brenton Rivulet block (PWS) and Mother Lord Plains block (HT)
- Great Western Tiers Conservation Area: Parson & Clerk Mountain Block (PWS)
- Great Lake Conservation Area: Tumbledown Creek block (PWS) and land known as Gunns Marsh surrounding Gunns Lake and Little Lake (HT)
- Tooms Lake Conservation Area
- Buxton River Conservation Area
- Castle Cary Regional Reserve.
For more information, go to https://nre.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/management-of-wildlife/game-management/game-hunting-requirements/public-land-fallow-deer-ballot
NOTE: This ballot covers stag (or buck) season only. Antlerless deer hunting on public land will be allocated through the online booking system in February 2022.
Who can hunt in Tasmania?
To legally hunt with a firearm in Tasmania, you must hold a valid firearms license and, where applicable, a Tasmanian game license.
If you are visiting Tasmania from another Australian state or territory, you do not need to apply for an exemption and can legally hunt in Tasmania as long as you hold a corresponding license issued in your home state or territory. You will, however, need to apply for a Tasmanian game license, where applicable, for the species you wish to hunt.
If you are visiting from overseas, you will need to obtain an International Visitor Exemption from Firearms Services. They will also be able to help provide relevant information for importing firearms into Tasmania. They will also be able to tell you which species you can legally hunt as a visitor.
To hunt fallow deer in Tasmania, you will need to have a 2022 game license and be allocated a stag tag. You can apply for one at a Services Tasmania branch, or online. Strict seasons apply to fallow deer bucks in Tasmania, and hunting is only permitted during the gazetted stag hunting season.
For more information on game management and hunting, check https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/wildlife-management/management-of-wildlife/game-management/species-of-game or call Game Services on 03 6777 2201.
Need to apply for a Firearms Licence in Tasmania?
Some important FAQs about recreational deer hunting in Tasmania
Hunting at night using either spotlights or night vision is not allowed in Tasmania without a valid Crop Protection Permit. The regulations around this stipulates that night time commences one hour after sunset, and ends one hour before sunrise.
The use of baits, poisons, and chemical compounds are prohibited without an appropriate permit.
Hunters are also not permitted to use live decoys, traps, snares, spears, bows and arrows, or explosives.
While dogs can be used to flush, locate and retrieve wildlife, they cannot be used to catch, kill or injure wildlife in Tasmania.
The law prohibits the use of solid jacketed military ammunition for hunting.
It is a legal requirement that firearms and ammunition must be transported in a safe manner.
- Firearms and magazines must be unloaded.
- Firearms must be in a locked container, have a trigger lock fitted, or have the bolt removed and stored in a separate, locked container.
- Ammunition must be stored in a separate, locked container.
If you are hunting on a property divided by a public road, you must ensure firearms are unloaded and transported in a safe manner every time you cross or drive along a public road. While this might seem like an inconvenience, accidents can and do happen, and an unsecured firearm on a public road presents a massive public security problem.
We find the simplest method here is simply to remove the bolt and store it in a locked glove box or ammunition container, or to fit a trigger lock.
It is also an offence (not to mention unsafe) to shoot a firearm within 250m of a house without permission of the occupier.
As a responsible hunter, it is your responsibility to ensure you have all the correct licenses and permits for the type of hunting that you are undertaking. It is also up to you to know and adhere to any regulations that apply to the species you are hunting.
And last, but by no means least, remember that your actions while hunting reflect on all hunters. When you act like a fool, conduct yourself in a dangerous or illegal manner, and be disrespectful to others, you make all hunters look bad, and impact on all of our ability to continue to hunt in Tasmania.
Be safe, be responsible, be ethical, be legal and be respectful.
DISCLAIMER: All the information we have included on this post has been taken from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) website. While it was correct as of the date of publication, please note that information could change, and should always be confirmed with the relevant authorities first.
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Our goal is to help hunters become positive role models and ambassadors for hunting, while simultaneously helping non-hunters understand why hunting is important.
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