2022 deer harvest report now available

The Game Management Authority has today released the Estimates of the 2022 deer harvest in Victoria report.

The Game Management Authority has today released the Estimates of the 2022 deer harvest in Victoria report.

Results show an estimated 123,376 deer were harvested in 2022. This is a four per cent increase on the estimated 118,874 deer harvested in 2021 and a 49 per cent increase on the long-term average (82,802).

Sambar Deer was the most harvested species with an estimated harvest of 76,178 deer, of which 53 per cent were female. Fallow Deer was the second most harvested species, with an estimated harvest of 41,180 deer, of which 62 per cent were female.

The number of licenced recreational deer hunters in 2022 was 50,478. This is the largest number of licenced recreational deer hunters recorded to date – a slight increase of one per cent on the previous highest number recorded in 2021 (49,857).

Of the 50,478 licensed deer hunters, 50 per cent actively hunted in 2022. On average, active deer hunters harvested an estimated 4.9 deer over 8.6 days.

The most popular hunting areas were around the towns of Mansfield, Licola, Bairnsdale, Dargo and Eildon. The highest number of deer harvested were around the towns of Mansfield, Eildon, Omeo, Whitfield and Bairnsdale.

GMA Research Principal, Dr Jason Flesch, said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced deer hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.

“Throughout 2022, approximately 2,400 licenced deer hunters were surveyed to collect information about their hunting activity including how many deer were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used, and the species of deer harvested.” Dr Flesch said.

The report is produced annually by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.

See full copy of the Estimates of the 2022 deer harvest report.