Hunting in Victoria
Sambar in the High Country, hog deer on the coast, ducks on the swamps
Victoria is the deer hunting capital of Australia. The High Country holds the nation's densest sambar herd, Gippsland offers the country's only hog deer season, fallow and red deer spread through the west, and the state's wetlands anchor the best-known duck seasons in the country.
Victoria manages deer and duck as game, so licensing is more structured here than anywhere else. A Game Licence from the Game Management Authority, endorsed for the game you hunt, is required on private land as well as public. Duck hunters add a Waterfowl Identification Test, and hog deer hunters add tags and checking stations in their April season.
What the structure buys is quality. Victorian game management underpins world-class sambar hunting twelve months a year, a genuinely rare hog deer trophy program, and regulated duck seasons on private swamps that decoy beautifully without public water crowds.
Victoria hunting rules at a glance
- A Victorian Game Licence with the relevant endorsement is required to hunt deer or duck anywhere in Victoria, including private land.
- A current firearms licence is required alongside the Game Licence.
- Duck hunting requires a passed Waterfowl Identification Test, the declared season's rules and non-toxic shot.
- Hog deer may only be hunted in April, with GMA tags (one male, one female) and compulsory checking stations.
- Pest animals such as foxes and rabbits require no game licence on private land, just landholder permission.
Rules change: always confirm current requirements with the state regulator before your trip. Your booking provides written landholder permission for your dates.
Best hunting regions in Victoria
Hunting in Victoria: common questions
Do I need a Game Licence to hunt on private property in Victoria?
For deer and duck, yes. Victoria treats them as game wherever they are hunted, so a Game Licence with the right endorsement is required on private land too. Foxes, rabbits and other pests need no game licence on private property.
When can I hunt sambar in Victoria?
All year. Sambar stalking has no closed season in Victoria for Game Licence holders. Winter is the prime period on valley properties because cold weather pulls deer onto lower feed.
How do I get a hog deer tag?
Order tags from the Game Management Authority ahead of the April season; you need a Game Licence endorsed for deer to order them. Each hunter receives one male and one female tag, and every animal taken must be tagged immediately and presented at a checking station.
What are the duck season rules in Victoria?
The season and bag limits are declared each year by the GMA, typically running through autumn. You need a Game Licence with duck endorsement, a passed Waterfowl Identification Test and non-toxic shot, and only declared game species may be taken.
Hunting properties in Victoria
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