Feral Deer Control Victoria

Feral deer are an escalating invasive pest problem in Australia, causing significant environmental, economic, and social impacts. Their populations have exploded in recent decades, driven by a combination of deliberate releases, escapes from deer farms, and a lack of natural predators.

All species of deer currently found in Australia are introduced species, not native. They were brought to Australia from Europe and Asia, primarily in the 19th century, for two main reasons.

Control Methods

Ground shooting using centrefire rifles Thermal / Nightvision

Commercial Harvesting

Fallow Deer

Sambar Deer

Red Deer

Economic & Enviromental impacts

Economic impacts

The economic impact of feral deer in Australia is rapidly increasing and represents a significant burden on various sectors.
Deer compete with livestock for pasture, reducing the carrying capacity of agricultural land for cattle and sheep. This leads to reduced profits for graziers.
They consume and damage a wide range of high-value crops, including grains, lucerne, sugarcane, horticultural products (fruits, vegetables), and viticulture (grapevines). This results in reduced yields and direct financial losses for farmers.
Deer damage fences (requiring costly repairs), irrigation systems, and other farm infrastructure through trampling, rubbing antlers, and pushing through barriers.
Independent reports highlight that if current trends continue, the costs associated with feral deer will jump significantly. For instance, a report for Victoria estimated that the cost to the community could be over $1.5 billion (at a 7% discount rate) or $2.2 billion (at a 4% discount rate) over the next 30 years if no significant management action is taken. This includes costs from lost agricultural and forestry production, vehicle accidents, and reductions in recreational values.

Enviromental impacts

Deer consume a wide array of native plants, including grasses, forbs, shrubs, and tree seedlings. This heavy Browse can prevent the regeneration of sensitive and rare plant species.
Male deer rub their antlers against young trees and shrubs, removing bark (ringbarking) and damaging the stems. This often kills the plants, impeding forest regeneration and natural succession.
Deer's hard hooves compact soil, particularly in sensitive areas like wetlands, alpine bogs, and along waterways. This reduces water infiltration, increases surface runoff, and damages delicate groundcover, leading to soil erosion
Deer create wallows in wet areas, disturbing soil, destroying aquatic and riparian vegetation, and polluting water sources. This degrades water quality through increased turbidity and nutrient enrichment, harming aquatic biodiversity and impacting water supply for other species