All about Deer - Information Workshop
Experts on deer identification, habitat, behaviour, impact and management spoke to a group of interested landholders on control measures and ongoing management of deer.
Stronger Together - MEPAAW
The issue
Deer are becoming a major pest animal in our region. They damage native vegetation and farm infrastructure, compete with native animals and commercial livestock for food and water, and are becoming a hazard on roads. They are in unprecedented numbers in the Rock Forest area and their control until very recently has been restricted by their status as a game animal.
The solution
Central Tablelands Landcare invited experts on deer and deer management to talk about the different types of deer that occur in our area, how they behave and what impacts they have on our environment. We also heard about how serious the impact of deer has become in other areas and were warned that if we do not start working together to start managing the deer popluation in the Rock Forest area, then we could see similar problems occurring here. Local Land Services staff spoke about projects they have undertaken in nearby regions to monitor and cull deer numbers, and DPI staff spoke about the changes to the regulations and how this impacts landholders.
The impact
We had 34 people attend our information workshop at the Rock Forest Rural Fire Shed on Friday 6th September, 2019. The workshop helped clear up any confusion around the legal status of deer and the Local Land Services and DPI are now aware that there is a large population of deer in the Rock Forest area and that many people are concerned about it. Our speaker also touched on wild dog control, the use of motion detection cameras and the benefits of working as part of a pest animal management group.
Key facts
- Deer are a pest animal in the Central Tablelands
- Deer impact native vegetation and compete with native animals for food and water
- Deer cause damage to infrastructure and are becoming a traffic hazard
- Local Land Services are looking to run a deer control program in Rock Forest in 2020
- Joining a pest animal group and working together to combat pest animals is the best way forward