The commercial use of wild shot deer is permitted in Tasmania.
Wild deer shot for commercial purposes must be taken under a landholder's Property Protection Permit, or Special Purposes Permit by a shooter with a Commercial Purposes Licence endorsed for wild fallow deer. Commercial shooters must hold a game harvester skillset qualification (AMPSS00018) provided by TasTAFE or other Registered Training Organisation which may be supplemented by training, if necessary, to supply wild-harvested deer to a processor.
The deer products may only be sold for processing to the holder of a Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence authorising the purchase, processing and sale of wild fallow deer products. Processors must meet the requirements of the Primary Produce Safety Program.
How do I get involved?
Wild shot deer can be commercially harvested and sold in Tasmania under strict regulatory requirements including permits, licences, training, and sale to appropriately licensed and accredited processors. The industry has recently transitioned from a trial phase to an approved commercial activity.
Legal requirements
For Harvesters:
A Firearms Licence
A Property Protection Permit or Special Purposes Wildlife Permit for deer
Certificate in Game Harvester Skill Set (Game Meat Hunters and Shooters) accreditation or equivalent
A Commercial Purposes Licence - to sell any deer products
A Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence - to buy any deer products, process wild shot deer & sell the meat
Accreditation under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 as a Meat Processing (human consumption) or Pet Food business.
For Processors:
A Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence - to buy any deer products, process wild shot deer & sell the meat
Accreditation under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 as a Meat Processing (human consumption) or Pet Food business.
Firearms Licence
Commercial Purposes Licence
A Commercial Purposes Licence authorises the holder to:
Possess the products of wildlife, including deer, as specified on the licence.
Sell the products of that wildlife to an appropriately licensed and accredited processor.
Deer must be taken with the permission of the landowner under a Property Protection Permit (PPP) or Special Purposes Wildlife Permit (SPWP).
This licence commences on the 1st of July each year and ends on the 30th of June the following year
If the licence includes the sale of game animal carcasses the applicant must hold a Game Harvester Skill Set accreditation or equivalent.
How do I apply? The application form can be downloaded from the Commercial Purposes Licence page
Commercial Purposes Licences are issued under regulation 29 of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021 and allow possession and sale of wildlife products including fallow deer.
Training Requirement
A Game Harvester Skill Set (AMPSS00018) is mandatory for supplying carcasses.
This qualification is a nationally recognised training course that ensures that you know how to:
Shoot wild animals humanely.
Handle carcasses safely for the food chain.
Work within the commercial wild game industry.
It’s effectively your ticket to becoming a professional/commercial shooter.
TasTAFE runs this course - AMPSS00018 - Game Harvester Skill Set | TasTAFE
Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence
Buying, Processing & Selling the Deer
To buy products of wildlife including deer you need a Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence.
To process and sell products of wildlife including deer you need to be accredited by Biosecurity Tasmania under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011.
A Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence authorises the holder to:
Buy, receive or acquire products of wildlife as specified on the licence.
Possess and sell or otherwise dispose of the products of wildlife as specified on the licence.
Commercial Wildlife Traders Licences are issued under Regulation 29 of the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulations 2021
Deer can only be sold to a licensed processor with a Commercial Wildlife Traders Licence.
Cannot sell directly to the public.
Processor must comply with food safety regulations.
This licence commences on the 1st of July each year and ends on the 30th of June the following year.
The appication form can be downloaded from the Commercial Traders Wildlife Licence page.
Processing & selling the Deer
Accreditation by Biosecurity Tasmania under the Primary Produce Safety Act 2011 is required to process wild shot deer and supply the meat.
Processors must be accredited as a Meat Processing (human consumption) or Pet Food business, depending on the market you are supplying.
Information on applying for accreditation, including the application form, Food Safety Scheme requirements and standards, is available at Meat and Poultry | Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.
It is recommended that you contact the Primary Produce Safety Program at foodsafety.enquiries@nre.tas.gov.au to outline your proposal prior to submitting the application. This will enable us to provide advice on any specific aspects of your intended processing activity.
What the Trial Involved
Thank you to everyone who took the time to make a submission to the public consultation on the outcomes of the Commercial Use of Wild Shot Deer Trial. The consultation was open for six weeks, from 17 March to 01 May 2026, and the feedback is appreciated.
An overview of the feedback received is contained in the Consultation Summary Report:
Consultation Summary Report - Wild Shot Deer Trial (PDF 701Kb)
Public Written Submissions are available here:
Written Submissions - Wild Shot Deer Trial (PDF 7Mb)
Responses to the Online Survey are available here:
Online Survey Results - Wild Shot Deer Trial (XLSX 123Kb)
The trial results are summarised in a discussion paper based on the three separate trial reports.
Commercial Wild Shot Deer Trial Discussion Paper (PDF 1Mb)
Trial Reports:
Phase 1 Report - Food Safety (PDF 1Mb)
Phase 2 Report - Social Survey (PDF 1Mb)
Phase 3 Report - Market Opportunities Analysis (PDF 504Kb)
Please note: some report content has been redacted to protect commercial in-confidence information.