Tasmania hunting season 2020

Are you looking for information on the 2020 Tasmania hunting season? With the new changes to the Tassie deer season, we will have 39 weeks to hunt wild game around the state. While we have posted a few articles on the changes and what they mean, we have had a few people asking about key dates and other general information about hunting in Tasmania.

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. 

According to current legislation, recreational hunters in Tasmania require a valid game license to hunt fallow deer, certain species of wild ducks, wallabies, and brown quail, and can only hunt these animals during the gazetted hunting seasons.

According to DPIPWE, certain invasive species, such as rabbits, hares, feral cats, feral goats, and feral pigs can be hunted all year round with a valid firearms license and do not require a separate game license. However, we advise checking DPIPWE’s page on invasive mammals for up-to-date information and guidelines, as well as the Firearms Services page for up-to-date information on how to obtain a license in Tasmania. 

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. 

2020 recreational hunting season dates

Wallaby season

In Tasmania, while wallabies are partly protected, recreational hunters with an appropriate wallaby license can hunt Rufous (pademelon) and Bennetts wallabies year round. This is because their numbers are in abundance and they are not considered threatened. People hunt wallaby both for food and for population control. The 2020 permits will be valid from Monday 24 February 2020 to Sunday 21 February 2021.

Fallow buck season

In Tasmania, recreational hunters with the appropriate licenses and permits are able to hunt one adult male fallow buck each year. The 2020 hunting season for fallow bucks will commence on Saturday 29 February 2020 (yes, it’s a leap year so expect plenty of buck fever!) and close on Sunday 5 April 2020. 

Fallow antlerless season

Recreational hunters in Tasmania will now have a much longer season to hunt antlerless fallow deer. The 2020 antlerless deer season will commence on Sunday 15 March 2020 and close on Sunday 15 November 2020. Under recent changes, recreational hunters will no longer require tags, or be limited by quotas on antlerless fallow deer, which means as long as you have permission to hunt the land and the appropriate license, there should be a lot more opportunities to fill the freezer with quality venison meat. 

Duck season

Recreational hunters in Tasmania who hold the appropriate licenses and have completed their Waterfowl Identification Test can hunt wild ducks from Saturday 7 March 2020 to Monday 8 June 2020. There are five duck species in Tasmania that are allowed to be hunted: chestnut teal, grey teal, wood duck, mountain duck and Pacific black duck. All other species of duck are protected and cannot be hunted. DPIPWE have published information on where you can hunt ducks on public land.

Brown Quail

There are three species of quail in Tasmania but only the brown quail is allowed to be hunted. Recreational hunters in Tasmania who hold the appropriate licenses can hunt brown quail from Saturday 16 May 2020 until Sunday 28 June 2020. Brown quail are distributed throughout Tasmania. Find out more about their habitat and management here. 

Game license fees

DPIPWE has now provided these updated 2020 pricing for game hunting licenses:

Deer – $72.90 full price or $58.32 for a concession

Wild Duck – $32.40 full price or $25.92 concession

Brown Quail – $32.40 full price or $25.92 concession

Wallaby – $32.40 full price or $25.92 concession

Where to hunt

In Tasmania, hunting is either done on private land with permission from the landowner, or on public land. 

We cannot stress enough how important it is to have permission to hunt on private land if you do not want to lose your license for poaching. We have put together a video with some tips on how to gain access to private land. 

However, if you don’t have access to private land, you can still enter the ballot for access to hunt deer on public land. 

DPIPWE has added four new parks and wildlife reserves to the 2020 public land hunting ballot. This brings the total number of public areas available for deer hunting to ten. These include Great Western Tiers Conservation Area, Top Marshes Conservation Area, Five Mile Pinnacles Conservation Area, Central Plateau Conservation Area (including Brenton Rivulet Block and Mother Lord Plains Block), Great Western Tiers Conservation Area of Parson & Clerk Mountain Block, Great Lake Conservation Area (Tumbledown Creek Block and land known as Gunns Marsh surrounding Gunns Lake and Little Lake, Tooms Lake Conservation Area, Buxton River Conservation Area, St Pauls Regional Reserve and Castle Carey Regional Reserve). Some of these areas are subject to separate open dates and close dates, so be sure to check DPIPWE’s website for up to date information.

Applications will only be accepted via this link, and close on Monday 27 January 2020. Hunters will be notified if they have been successful by 31 January 2020. 

Getting access and having the appropriate licenses is only part of the hunting journey. Don’t forget to check out the Skinning Shed to learn how to process your wild game, and the Game Kitchen for some recipe inspiration on how to cook it once you have it home.