Vic Deer Hunting

Most new shooters are keen to hunt deer. This is because there is a lot of media about it, and YouTube has made videos about it. But first, let’s get something out of the way, as most people who are non-shooters don’t even know that public land hunting is a thing in Australia.

Well it is, and some people don't know this

The easiest way to do this is Vic deer hunting. And you do need a firearms licence if you are using a firearm.

Obviously, there are some regulations. So what do you need? You need a Victorian Game Licence (sometimes called a VIC deer licence).

And all you need to do is apply:

licensing.gma.vic.gov.au

Great, so now I can go hunt deer?

No, there are a few more things you need to do and a few more things you need to know.

There are minimum calibre and projectile waight energy requirements for various species of deer.

In Australia we have Sambar, Fallow, Red, Chital, Rusa, and Hog deer. These are divided into two categories: large and small deer.

projectile waight minimums

So buy a .270 and I can hunt them all?

Well yes and no. While .270 is an absolutely superb hunting calibre, particularly for deer, and yes if you own a .270 you can hunt all of them, however it’s still not that simple.

You need to hunt in a designated Victorian public land hunting area (state forest or designated land), and different areas may contain different species.

So where are these state forests?

From my native South Australia, there is one just over the border from Renmark, two near Pinnaroo, quite a few around Edenhope, and some over the border from Mt Gambier.

There is an app called “More to Explore” where the actual locations are shown on a map. The vast majority of hunting areas are on the eastern side of Victoria, especially east of Melbourne.

So you would need to pick your hunting area before you go.

So I have everything I need, do you?

These areas where you can hunt deer are quite remote.

NEVER GO ALONE

Particularly if you are new to this. YouTube has a lot of videos of people hunting alone. While yes, that is possible, remember you may be out for a while. The deer may not be 20 metres from the car, so you will need to hike and carry gear with you.

Ideally speaking, you should have enough with you to survive overnight, even if you're planning to just be out for 3 or 4 hours.

So what do I need

• GPS / mapping device (phone is fine, but you must not rely on mobile reception)
• UHF radio (optional but useful depending on location and group size)
• Ammunition
• Rifle (correctly licenced and compliant)
• Food (enough for 24 hours minimum)
• Knife (a good one)
• Water (4 litres minimum as a baseline — more in hot conditions)
• Matches/lighter
• A way of carrying all of this gear

Layer your clothing and add or remove as needed

UHF

If you're going with a mate then yes, absolutely. If you get separated, you need to be able to communicate.

If you're alone, it can still be useful. If something happens and there is mobile coverage, who are you going to talk to? Farmers, rangers, other hunters, truck drivers, SES, CFS — so yes, it may be worth taking depending on where you're going.

So I have my gear and I'm ready to go… but I have no idea how to hunt deer

Fear not, this is very common. While this is not a foolproof article on how to hunt deer, it is a “how to get started” guide. Some good rules of thumb:

Deer 101

What a deer wants out of life is to eat, sleep, and make more deer. It may come as a surprise — they have no concept of politics. Life is very simple for them. They are also notoriously skittish and easily spooked. But there are a few good general rules of thumb:

• Keep the wind in your favour (so your scent is not blowing towards deer)
• Work from higher ground and move down when possible
• Know the area you’re hunting thoroughly
• Find water sources and feed areas

Ok so I’m keen to go, what do I need

Well, you need your firearms licence and a rifle. It needs to be sighted in and reliable. You need a good camping setup, preferably a 4WD. Food for 3 or 4 days and enough fuel to get you into the hunting location and out again. A map of the area you will be in. A good pair of hiking boots. And a very well thought-out day pack.

You will also need your Victorian Game Licence, as you may run into authorised officers or police who will ask to see your credentials.

This is an overall guide. For specific information, please visit the Victorian Game Management Authority website:

gma.vic.gov.au