Feral deer pose ag, health threat

Identified as a priority pest animal in all 11 Local Land Services regions, deer can cause vehicle accidents, spread invasive weeds, transmit disease, contaminate water sources through wallowing and damage crops, gardens and vegetation.

Some species can jump up to 2.5m high.

Without intervention, feral deer populations can rise by 34 to 50 per cent in a single year.

A modest herd of 30 deer can balloon to 500 in a decade.

In NSW, all landholders have a responsibility to manage biosecurity threats on their properties, including pest animals like feral deer to protect land and livestock and minimise the threat to public safety.

Local Land Services can support landholders to manage feral deer by providing the latest advice on control methods and coordinating wide-scale control programs.

These control methods include aerial and on-ground shooting programs, as well as trapping to safely and humanely cull feral deer.

Program lead invasive species Emmaline Froggatt said due to their behaviour, feral deer have often gone undetected until their population grew, or seasonal conditions forced them to venture further out of timbered areas.

“To some people, four or five deer might not seem like an issue, but herds of 45 start to become a real problem,” she said.

“Unfortunately, by that time, the novelty has worn off and they are much harder to control.

“Deer are not native to Australia and don’t have a natural predator, so they are quite resilient.

“This makes them, at best, a public nuisance, and, at worst, a serious threat to agriculture and human safety.”

The NSW Government has invested $13.1 million in the expanded Feral Pig and Pest Program 2024-25, which includes measures to reduce the impacts from pest animals across the state.

Contact Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 for more information and tailored support to manage feral deer.