Hunting game birds and deer with dogs in Victoria
Certain dog breeds can be used to assist with hunting game birds and deer in Victoria. These categories of dogs are gundogs, deer hunting dogs and hounds.
Gundogs can be used to locate, flush, point or retrieve game birds and deer (excluding Hog Deer) while hunting.
Deer hunting dogs can be used for locating or flushing deer only (excluding Hog Deer).
Hounds can only be used to trail Sambar Deer while hunting in season.
Any dogs that are used for game hunting must instinctively hunt, be non-aggressive, obedient and able to be trained to obey commands from the hunter to only hunt certain types of game animals and to ignore distractions in the field. Such characteristics are found in certain dog breeds, which have been selectively bred over centuries for these traits.
A maximum of two deer hunting dogs, two gundogs or one deer hunting dog and one gundog can be used regardless of whether a person is hunting alone for deer or by a team of hunters.
The Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024 (the regulations) ensure the use of dogs for hunting game is humane and safe and any impacts on other users of public land are minimised.
Breeds of gundogs have been selectively developed over centuries to either trail, flush, point or retrieve game species. These breeds have the appropriate physical and behavioural characteristics to effectively and humanely hunt deer and game birds.
They are often grouped into categories based on the type of work they were primarily bred to do, however all trail their prey by scent. Pointers and setters will point, stand or sit once they have located their prey; spaniels will flush game out of cover, while retrievers were bred to collect downed game and bring it back to the hunter.
Some dogs have been bred to combine all these abilities and are referred to as utility or HPR (hunt/point/retrieve) dogs and include the German Shorthaired Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla and Weimaraner.
The regulations permit 32 gundog breeds to that can be used for hunting game birds and all game deer species, except for Hog Deer. Two breeds were recently added to the list of gundog breeds under the Wildlife (Game) Regulations 2024 – the Wirehaired Slovakian Pointer and the Murray River Retriever.
The category of ‘deer hunting dogs’ consists of a number of companion dogs, which are generally small-medium in size and have an appropriate temperament suited to deer hunting, although they cannot be used to hunt Hog Deer. Only two deer hunting dogs can be used by any hunter, team of hunters or hunters working together.
The following breeds are prescribed as deer hunting dogs:
- Border Terrier
- Dachshund
- Finnish Spitz
- Fox Terrier (smooth)
- Fox Terrier (wire)
- German Hunting Terrier (Jagd Terrier)
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Norwegian Elkhound
Gundogs and deer hunting dogs can be used to assist with hunting deer (except Hog deer) on any public land where the land classification permits the presence of dogs.
Gundogs can be used to assist in hunting game birds on public land where the land classification permits the presence of dogs.
The use of hounds for hunting Sambar Deer is only permitted in certain areas of the State. See Hunting with hounds - Game Management Authority (gma.vic.gov.au) for more information.
For location-specific information about where you can hunt with dogs on public land, see the online hunting maps which can be accessed via MapshareVic or the ‘More To Explore’ mobile phone app. For more information, please visit https://www.gma.vic.gov.au/hunting/hunting-maps.
Gun dogs, deer hunting dogs and hounds can be used to hunt the applicable game species on private land only after permission of the landowner or manager has been obtained.
Number of dogs
The regulations set the maximum number of gundogs and deer hunting dogs to two at any one time. This means that a person hunting alone, or hunting in a team or together with other hunters is permitted to hunt with no more than:
- two gundogs; OR
- two deer hunting dogs; OR
- a combination of one gundog and one deer hunting dog.
Deer species and hunting areas
Under the previous regulations, gundogs could only be used to hunt Sambar Deer in a particular part of the state. However, the new regulations permit all game deer species, except for Hog Deer, to be hunted with the aid of both gundogs and deer hunting dogs. This applies throughout the state, wherever hunting with dogs is permitted. However, this does not apply to hounds and hounds must only be used in the areas where previously allowed.
The extension of permitted areas for hunting deer with the aid of gundogs and deer hunting dogs reflects the changing distribution of deer in Victoria.
Gundog training with 'blanks'
Starter’s pistols and shotguns with the use of blanks may be used to train gundogs outside the hunting seasons. However, it is an offence to train a gundog outside the open seasons while in possession of live ammunition.
Offence for dogs to attack, bite or maim wildlife
Under the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals in Hunting, any dog used to assist game hunters must instinctively hunt and must be non-aggressive, obedient and be able to be trained to obey commands from the hunter to only hunt certain types of wild animals and to ignore distractions in the field. Any dog that attacks, bites or maims wildlife, including game, must not be used.
The Regulations contain an offence for a gundog or deer hunting dog that attacks, bites or maims wildlife, including game. The maximum penalty for this currently exceeds $3,698.
Starter’s pistols and shotguns with the use of blanks may be used to train gundogs outside the hunting seasons. However, it is an offence to train a gundog outside the open seasons while in possession of live ammunition.
Under the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals in Hunting, any dog used to assist game hunters must instinctively hunt and must be non-aggressive, obedient and be able to be trained to obey commands from the hunter to only hunt certain types of wild animals and to ignore distractions in the field. Any dog that attacks, bites or maims wildlife, including game, must not be used.
The Regulations contain an offence for a hound, gundog or deer hunting dog that attacks, bites or maims wildlife, including game. The maximum penalty for this currently exceeds $3,950.