Game Hunting Requirements
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Please note: 2023 Hunting Licences can be purchased online or at Service Tasmania from the 1st of February 2023.
Who needs a hunting licence?
Anybody who wants to hunt:
deer
wild duck
muttonbird
wallaby
brown quail
pheasant
Am I eligible for a hunting licence?
Applicants must:
Be older than 14 years of age if use of a firearm is required
Hold a current firearms licence if applying to take deer, duck, wallaby, brown quail or pheasant. Current firearm licences issued from all Australian states or territories will be accepted (there are firearms exemptions for deer and wallaby)
Have completed a Hunting Take Return Information Form (below) if applying to renew licences
Have the permission of the landowner if on private land
Have passed a
Waterfowl Identification Test if applying for a licence to take wild duck
What is included with my hunting licence?
Licence purchasers receive:
Each new hunting licence applicant is issued with a unique licence number.
You will see this number cited on your:
renewal application (for people who have held recreational game licences before)
plastic hunting licence card
interim hunting licence receipt
Applicants can purchase a hunting licence for one or more game species at the same time, or individually as required at the start of each hunting season.
If you need to update your personal details during the season this can be done at no additional cost.
Please contact Game Services Tasmania for a copy of Game Tracks.
Do I need a firearms licence?
- Everybody aged 18 and older who wants a hunting licence will need a current firearms licence (except those hunting muttonbirds, or those who are participating in the hunt but not shooting)
- Everybody aged 14 to 17 needs a current Tasmanian Minor's (Firearms) Permit to use a firearm. Hunting licences will not be issued to a person under the age of 14 where a firearm is required to be used
- Interstate visitors applying for a hunting licence require a current firearms licence from their home state
- Overseas firearms licences are not recognised in Tasmania. It is necessary for international hunters to obtain a Tasmanian exemption permit
Please contact
Firearm Services on
(03) 6173 2720 for further information on firearms licences.
If applying for a wallaby and/or deer hunting licence only to be a non-shooting participant in a property protection activity (for example as a spotlight holder or driver) write ‘non-shooting HL’ on the hunting licence application form.
Do I need to declare prior convictions?
All hunters making an application to purchase a hunting licence are required to declare any relevant offence of which they have been convicted during the last 5 years.
Detailed information is available on the Hunting licences page.
Can I use a concession?
A 20 percent discount on the cost of a licence is available for holders of the following current concession cards:
Pensioner Concession Card (Services Australia or Department of Veterans' Affairs)
Health Care Card or for beneficiaries and/or dependants named on a Health Care Card (Services Australia)
Commonwealth Senoirs Health Care Card or Department of Veterans' Affairs Health Care Card
Tasmanian Seniors Card
Children under the age of 18 years are entitled to a concession only if they have their own concession card or are named as dependants by their parents on one of the above concession cards.
Lost or Damaged Hunting Licence Cards or Tags
Hunting Licence Cards
If your hunting licence card is lost or damaged a replacement may be requested by completing a hunting licence application form. Selecting the application type "I want to replace a lost or damaged current hunting licence card".
Hunting Licence Application Form (PDF 365Kb)
Deer Tags
Lost or damaged deer tags may be replaced. Please contact the Wildlife Management on the contact details at the bottom of the page to arrange a replacement.
A statutory declaration must be completed and submitted prior to a replacement tag being issued.
Regulations Applicable to all Species
The
Nature Conservation (Widlife) Regulations 2021 govern hunting in Tasmania.
There are a number of regulations applicable to all species:
Hunting at night is prohibited. In this instance night means the period between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.
The use of baits, live decoys, traps, snares, spears, bows and arrows, explosives, poison, bird lime and chemical compounds is prohibited.
Solid jacketed military ammunition is prohibited.
The use of dogs to catch, kill, or injure wildlife is prohibited.
Information on animal welfare, and the guidelines and codes of practice around the treatment of animals while hunting, is available on the
Animal Welfare Guidelines page.
Seasonal Hunting Take Returns
At the close of every hunting season Wildlife Management will contact licence holders, requesting information on their hunting activity for each game species except wallaby. The 2021 Hunting Take Return is now due.
Hunting Take Returns can only be entered in one transaction, so if you have purchased an Antlerless Deer licence please lodge your Hunting Take Return only after you have finished hunting for the year.
Licence holders that provide their take information are automatically sent a licence renewal application for the following game seasons.
Take information is required in written form. Forms are available online or for completion at any Service Tasmania shop.
Information collected is used to ensure the sustainable management of Tasmania's game species and forms the basis of the hunting season reports provided in Game Tracks.
Please note: A hunting licence holder who does not provide their take information as required will not receive a renewal application in the post. They will not be able to purchase a hunting licence for the following hunting season until the take information is submitted.