Deer Management
A proposal to amend the Deer Act 1991. It will:
- Allow .22 centre-fire rifles to be used for shooting smaller species of deer;
- Allow any reasonable means of humanely despatching deer that are suffering due to injuries or disease;
- Allow dependent deer to be taken or killed if they have been deprived of, or are about to be deprived of, their mother, at any time of year;
- Enable licensed taking or killing during the close season to prevent deterioration of the natural heritage;
- Enable licensed taking or killing during the close season to preserve public health and safety;
- Enable licensed taking or killing at night to prevent deterioration of the natural heritage;
- Enable licensed taking or killing at night to preserve public health and safety;
- Enable licensed taking or killing at night to prevent serious damage to property;
- Shorten the close season for all female deer to help allow better control of population numbers where necessary, without increasing the welfare risks for dependent young;
- Introduce a close season for Chinese water deer from 15 March to 31 October inclusive;
- Ensure the close season applies to hybrids of a species as well as the parent species;
- Amend the meaning of mechanically propelled vehicle in the Deer Act to permit discharging firearms or projecting missiles from a mechanically propelled vehicle that is stationary.
Initial Scrutiny period began 18 December 2006.
Deer Management
