AUSTRALIA NEWS: Sport hunting Unlikely to Control Deer

The National Parks Association says deer hunters in the New South Wales Illawarra region need to view the pest as an environmental threat rather than a hunting resource.

The state's third annual deer season, which is open to recreational hunters, started yesterday and runs until the end of October.

The association's executive officer Andrew Cox says recreational hunting is not an effective feral animal control because it is too selective.

Mr Cox says while there is some reduction in deer numbers, hunters need to take stronger action.

"With feral animals acting early and with lots of resources is the way to deal with this," he said.

"I think we can act to stop new populations growing, expanding in areas that weren't covered.

"They certainly are well adapted to many of the coastal wet forests of the east coast of New South Wales."

Source: ABC News (Australia)