What is Hunting? Hunting is a popular hobby as well as a professional sport worldwide. In the past, common people hunt animals just for a living but hunting was a sport for nobles and rulers. They use spears or different types of bows for hunting purposes. However, technology has modernized this job.
Today, hunting is popular more than ever. Hunters most commonly use rifles to hunt down different animals like deer, moose, elk, and caribou. Most of them try to keep this process painless due to the respect they have for the prey. In simple words, hunting is a process to kill or capture different types of animals.
Australia is heaven for hunters due to its tropical rainforests, rugged mountains, grassland plains, alpine forests, etc. Hunters all around the world visit the country to hunt animals like Asiatic water buffalo, camels, hares, rabbits, etc. In this guide, we will guide you on what type of animal you can hunt in each state of Australia. Let’s get started…
Categories of Animals You Can Hunt
Hunters have to follow particular laws in every state and territory for hunting specific animals. Some territories might permit the hunting of different animals that falls on the list of pest species like feral goat, feral dog, rabbits, and more.
Therefore, before starting hunting, you must be familiar with the dos and don’ts in Australia. You can be behind the bar as the consequences of breaking any type of law.
Animals that are permitted to hunt in Australia are categorized into two groups.
The first one is Feral i.e. animals that live in the wild but they actually belong to domestic origin. No law protects this category. Therefore, you can hunt them whenever you want. However, you may have to get the permission of landowners.
The second one is the Game category. It includes animals that people hunt for sports or food. Different laws protect the animals fall in this group. You can only hunt them in a special season.
The states of Australia With Laws Related to Hunting
Australian Capital Territory – ACT
In the ACT, you can only hunt pest animals. However, you will have to get the permission of the landowner. It’s better to get permission in writing. A valid firearms license is mandatory for hunting in the ACT.
New South Wales – NSW
NSW allows you to hunt particular types of deer when the hunting season is open. You can hunt specific game animals including deer on private or crown land at any time whenever you want.
Different game animals include wild deer, ducks, partridges, peafowl, pheasants, California quails, and turkeys. Some animals like cats and dogs fall in both aforementioned categories.
Northern Territory – NT
In NT, hunting of feral animals is allowed on private land but with the permission of the landowner. However, hunting of feral waterfowl and feral pigs is not allowed without the permission of concerned authorities.
The list of feral animals in NT includes buffaloes, donkeys, horses, feral cattle, pigeons, rusa deer, Arabian camels, and cane toads. Further, feral cats, wild dogs, house sparrows, sambar deer, and turtle doves also fall on the list of feral animals in NT.
Waterfowl hunters can hunt almost any type of animal with the permission of landowners. NT doesn’t restrict hunters to hunting only in the open season. You can hunt Pacific black duck, plumbed whistling duck, wandering whistling duck, grey teal, hardhead duck, pink-eared duck, and maned duck.
Queensland – QLD
There is no declared game specie in QLD. However, most animals are referred to as pest species. Any hunter can hunt them at any time using a licensed firearm with the permission of the landowner.
The most popular animals that are hunted here include fallow deer, feral dogs, hares, goats, donkeys, red deer, rusa, chital, rabbits, cats, foxes, horses, and some other feral cattle.
South Australia – SA
Different laws in SA stop hunters from hunting specific animals in the closed season. Such species are known as game species here. Game species include chestnut teal, pink-eared duck, Pacific black duck, stubble quail, grey teal, Australian shelduck, and maned duck. If you want to hunt those animals, you will have to wait for the open season.
However, some animals are allowed to hunt at any time without any restriction. These animals include starling, European blackbirds, deer, camels, spotted turtle-dove, and domestic pigeons.
Tasmania – TAS
It’s completely legal to hunt feral and different pests creatures on private, crown, and state land in Tasmania. All you need to have is licensed firearms for hunting. Plus, you need to get clear permission from the authorities before starting hunting.
Some game species in Tasmania include deer, pheasant, brown quail, and duck. Similarly, you can also hunt wallabies and muttonbirds for non-commercial purposes.
Victoria – VIC
Like other states in Australia, VIC allows hunting pests and other animals on private land with the permission of the landowner. Plus, you can also hunt animals from state forests except for game species. You can only hunt game species in an open season using licensed firearms.
Popular game species include grey teal, Australian shelduck, Australian wood duck, Australian shoveller, red deer, and sambar deer. Some other game animals include stubble quail, partridges, California quail, hardhead, pink-eared duck, chestnut teal, hog deer, fallow deer, Pacific black duck, etc.
Contrary to this, feral dogs and hares fall in the category of pests in Victoria. And, you can hunt them whenever you want in all seasons.
Western Australia – WA
Hunters can hunt only feral species on private land with the landowners’ permission in Western Australia. WA considers donkeys, feral dogs, hares, feral horses, camels, feral cattle, and starlings as feral animals. You should use only licensed rifles for hunting.
Wrapping Up
After reading this article, you would have made up your mind about the state you should visit for hunting. Hunting in Australia is very easy because all states have incredible hunting spots that attract hunters worldwide.
We have categorized different types of animals you can hunt in each state. Before visiting any state, you can check what types of animals are available for hunting in that particular state. Plus, you should also check whether the hunting season is open or not. Never forget to get the landowner’s permission before starting hunting in Australia. Because it’s law in almost all states. Always hunt legally with legal weapons for your safety.
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