The price is deer

The Invasive Species Council provided data from a 2022 report by Frontier Economics.

It stated that over the next 30 years, feral deer in Victoria would cost farmers between $245 million to $350 million due to avoided grazing on farming land by feral deer, and between $106 million to $144 million due to avoided time spent on managing feral deer.

They also stated that between $269 million and $365 million to forest industries due to avoided losses in forestry production. This is now a moot point due to the closure of the native timber harvesting industry, but it indicates the impact on our forest areas as well.

The report also indicated the significant benefits associated with deer hunting.

In the same company’s report, Counting the Doe, it states, “Our analysis suggests that if management is taken in 2022, the cost of removing all feral deer could be between $338m and $581m (depending on the population scenario).”

They also stated, “In recent years the Victorian feral deer population and distribution have rapidly increased. Our analysis suggests that feral deer numbers could grow to between 1.7 million to 4.6 million by 2050, an increase of between 103 per cent and 217 per cent over the next 30 years.”

In terms of impact, the report notes the significant impacts including damage to crops, fouling of pastures, deer management costs (including shooting costs, fencing and replacing damaged property), reduced native forest growth due to the deer eating young shoots and bark-stripping, deer-related vehicle accidents, and the cost of increased water treatment requirements.

They may also reduce biodiversity due to spreading weeds, trampling and ringbarking trees.

The presence of deer may also impact restoration works, increase food…

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