MYRTLEFORD and district continues to be among the most popular regions in Victoria for deer harvesting with hounds.

According to the Game Management Authority’s (GMA) recently released 2023 deer harvesting in Victoria report, the local area was second only to the Mansfield area for the total reported number of deer harvested using hounds, and also the fourth for the total number of reported deer hunting days using hounds.

Mansfield topped all lists for the total number of deer harvested as the North East region was the second most frequented region for total harvest, following the Goulburn Broken region.

Results show an estimated 137,090 deer were harvested in 2023.

This was an 11 per cent increase on the estimated 123,400 deer harvested in 2022 and a 59 per cent increase on the long-term average of 86,400.

Sambar deer were the most harvested species with an estimated harvest of 106,500 deer, of which 53 per cent were female.

Fallow deer were the second most harvested species, with an estimated harvest of 27,500 deer, of which 59 per cent were female.

The number of licenced recreational deer hunters in 2023 was 52,321, an increase of more than 3.6 per cent from 2022 (50,478).

Of the licenced deer hunters, 60 per cent actively hunted in 2023, with hunters harvesting an estimated average of 4.3 deer over 10.5 days.

GMA research principal Jason Flesch said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced deer hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.

“Throughout 2023, approximately 2400 licenced deer hunters were surveyed about their hunting activity including how many deer were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used and the species of deer harvested,” he said.

“This research helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria.”

The report is produced annually by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.

For a full copy of the estimates of the 2023 deer harvest report, visit gma.vic.gov.au.