A Queensland based recreational hunter has actioned a state parliamentary petition that would allow local councils to sustainably manage deer within their boundaries.
Rhys Bosley is the campaign manager for State Forest Hunting for Queensland; an online campaign supporting legal changes to promote the sustainable management and use of wild deer in Queensland.
Mr Bosley said the e-petition was in response to the state government's draft Feral Deer Management Strategy Consultation and the petition had since gathered over 3600 signatures.
"The petition response shows that many Queenslanders believe that while deer numbers may need to be reduced to protect agriculture and the environment, that the animal should be used wherever possible," he said.
"People inherently dislike waste."
Mr Bosley said sustainable deer management involved hunters reducing deer numbers and maintaining a male to female ratio of one to one, to allow the deer, nature and agriculture to coexist.
"Shifting the emphasis from trophy hunting of males to meat hunting of females is vital to keep populations manageable," he said.
"The petition proposes to make this happen by allowing local governments to consider not only the impacts, but also the benefits of wild deer in their biosecurity plans, with benefits including hunting tourism and commercial harvesting."
Katter's Australian Party deputy leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto tabled the petition in parliament and said he was in support of what the petition aimed to achieve.
"Over the years the lock it up and leave it approach for state forests taken by governments has done more harm than good, allowing feral animals to explode in population, wreaking havoc on the environment and native wildlife," he said.
"This petition not only aims to manage the population of wild deer more sustainably, but it creates more opportunities for our licensed firearm holders and recreational hunters.
"While these wild animals are considered pests in many regions throughout our state, giving local government's more power to make the decisions on how deer are managed will enable locals to benefit through hunting tourism and commercial harvesting, meaning more opportunity and less waste."
Feral deer species were listed as restricted invasive animals under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
Under the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), the draft Feral Deer Management Strategy 2022-27 would set the direction for the management of feral deer in Queensland for the next five years.
DAF noted the draft consultation would provide guidance for the direction of regional and local government biosecurity planning. The consultation also encouraged collaboration and a coordinated approach to the management of feral deer and the reduction of impacts.
Closer to home, Charters Towers Regional Council mayor Frank Beveridge said the most problematic deer species in his local region was the feral chital deer.
"It was identified as a biosecurity risk because numbers appeared to be growing and the species spreading," he said.
"It was determined that the deer was not native to the area, was damaging the natural environment by eating native vegetation, damaging trees, dispersing weed seed and fouling water."
Mr Beveridge said the deer was currently listed as a medium to high risk animal pest species in the Charters Towers Regional Council Biosecurity Plan 2019-2024.
Mr Beveridge said current control measures included reduction in animal numbers and area of influence in the region. Whilst management techniques focused on delimitation to determine the extent of the species and continued impact protection measures.
Mr Bosley said local communities were best placed to decide what deer management arrangements would work best for them.
"Some would choose to sustainably manage the deer, while others would choose to treat them as a pest," he said.
"It would be likely to depend on the agriculture and environment in a region, as well as whether the deer are from the historically significant herds introduced from the 19th century, such as in the Brisbane and Mary Valley's, Stanthorpe, Charters Towers and the Torres Strait Islands."
The DAF consultation feedback sessions closed on June 30, which would now be considered in the preparation of the final strategy.
Mr Bosley said future action on behalf of State Forest Hunting for Queensland would be determined by the consultation response.
"I would hope that the state agriculture minister takes into account the full range of views in the community," he said.
The e-petition is open until August 1 and can be found on the Queensland Parliament website.
Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
