Deer hunting season now open

The 2022 deer hunting season opened over the weekend on February 26.

The 2022 deer game season has two parts – an adult male (buck) component and antlerless (doe) component.

The buck season opens on 26 February and runs until 3 April 2022, and the antlerless deer season is from 15 March to 15 November 2022.

It is recognised that recreational hunters help manage wild fallow deer populations on both private and public land, as well as managing the impacts of wild deer on agricultural production, conservation areas and forestry.

During the 2022 season, hunting can occur on all private land with permission of the landholder and in the following reserves for those hunters who have been granted access through the ballot and booking system:

• 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; and

• Castle Cary Regional Reserve.

Hunters should note that the east coast Reserves (Castle Cary, Buxton River, Tooms Lake) will be closed to all hunting until March 2022 due to wedge tailed eagle and falcon breeding seasons.

Game Services Tasmania staff have completed the adult male deer ballot and allocations have been published on the NRE Tas website.

The public land deer hunting ballot for the 2022 antlerless deer season is now open with an online booking system in place. Bookings close on 15 March.

For details about how to use the booking system, or to submit an application for an allocation, please go to Public Land Antlerless Deer Booking System.

Successful hunters will receive their authorisations via email before the opening of these reserves for the antlerless season on 6 April 2022.

Hunting Licence holders are reminded to be vigilant in relation to personal safety and the safety of others and the importance of wearing a high visibility vest or hat. It is also important to respect the environment.

This includes adhering to COVID-safe behaviours while hunting. Hunters should maintain personal hygiene practices such as washing hands, staying at least 1.5 metres apart and staying at home if unwell.

Game Tracks is now available from Service Tasmania outlets, Game Services Tasmania and from Game-tracks.pdf (nre.tas.gov.au).

For more information about the recreational deer hunting season visit Game Hunting Requirements.