Hunting in the Gippsland

Sambar, hog deer and duck country from the Lakes to the hills

Sambar Deer Hog Deer Fallow Deer Duck & Waterfowl Feral Pig Fox

Gippsland packs more hunting variety into one region than anywhere else in Victoria. Sambar fill the foothill forests from Erica east to the border, the coastal plain holds Australia's only huntable hog deer, and the wetlands around the Gippsland Lakes host classic decoy duck shooting each autumn season.

The hog deer story alone makes Gippsland unique. The coastal plain between Western Port and the Lakes is the only place in Australia with an open hog deer season: the month of April, with compulsory tags for one male and one female per hunter and checking stations that record every animal. Private land access is the realistic route for most hunters, and April dates on the right properties are the scarcest bookings on this site.

Dairy and beef country dominates the private land here, and deer pressure on pasture is a genuine cost to farmers. A booked hunting stay turns that problem into a partnership, and puts you minutes from fern gullies that never see a public land boot.

Terrain

Coastal plain, tea-tree and swale country near the Lakes, red gum flats through the valleys, and steep wet-forest foothills rising toward the Baw Baw and Errinundra plateaus.

Seasons & timing

Sambar year round with a Victorian Game Licence. Hog deer only in the April season with tags and compulsory checking. Duck in the declared Victorian season, typically opening in autumn, with a Waterfowl Identification Test and non-toxic shot required.

Licences & access

A Victorian Game Licence covers deer and duck with the right endorsements, plus your firearms licence and booked landholder permission. Hog deer hunting adds tags ordered from the Game Management Authority ahead of the season. Organised private access makes the compliance far simpler.

Nearest centres

Bairnsdale · Sale · Traralgon · Orbost · Yarram

Gippsland hunting: common questions

Can I really hunt hog deer in Gippsland?

Yes. Gippsland's coastal plain hosts the only open hog deer season in Australia: the month of April, with GMA-issued tags for one male and one female per hunter and compulsory checking stations. Private land access is how most successful hog deer hunters do it, and demand far exceeds supply, so book early.

What do I need for duck season on a Gippsland property?

A Victorian Game Licence with duck endorsement, a passed Waterfowl Identification Test, non-toxic shot and the current season's dates and bag limits. Private swamps offer superb decoying without the opening weekend crowds of the public wetlands.

Is Gippsland good for a mixed-bag hunting trip?

It is arguably the best in the country: sambar at dawn, foxes at dusk, ducks in season and hog deer for the fortunate few in April. Choose a property near the boundary of plain and foothill for maximum variety in a single stay.

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