2026 Public Land Male Deer Ballot

​​​​​​​​​2026 Public Land Male Deer Ballot​

​​​​​The 2​026 Public Land Male Deer Ballot is now closed.  

The number of hunting groups per Reserve is managed to balance hunter experience and the safety of all Reserve users. The 2026 ballot was oversubscribed, so there will be some Hunting Groups that unfortunately will not receive a hunting allocation for the 2026 adult male deer season.  

NRE Tas is committed to providing public access to public land for the purpose of recreational hunting and has sought to identify how to increase hunting opportunities across the public land estate.  

2026 Ballo​t Results

Results of the 2026 adult male deer ballot are available below.  The tables present the hunting ID number received following submission of an application.​

Buxton River Conservation Area

​

Castle Cary Regional Reserve

Castle Cary Regional Reserve is closed to hunting on the following dates:

• Wednesday 4 March 2026 to Tuesday 10 March 2026

• Wednesday 25 March 2026 to Sunday 5 April 2026
  

Central Plateau Conservation Area - Breton Rivulet - Mother Lord Plains

Five Mile Pinnacle Conservation Area

​

Great Lake Conservation Area - Tumbledown Creek - Gunns Marsh

Great Western Tiers Conservation Area

Great Western Tiers Conservation Area - Parson and Clerk Mountain

Tooms Lake Conservation Area

Top Marshes Conservation Area

Frequently asked questions

I can’t see my Hunting Group ID – what does that mean?

Unfortunately, your ballot application to hunt adult male deer was unsuccessful.  Should you be interested in hunting antlerless deer across the same Reserves, please monitor the antlerless deer webpage​ for information in mid-late February 2026.

My Hunting Group was offered a Reserve and hunting period we didn’t ask for?

Some Hunting Groups were allocated Reserves and/or hunting periods not identified as a preference based on the submission received. If this is the case, your Hunting Group was not successful in the draw based on your preferences, and instead your ballot entry was drawn against unallocated hunting periods following the allocation of preferences. 

Can I change group members, the Reserve or period offered to our hunting Group?

Unfortunately, not – the results of the ballot are final.  You can however update personal information including contact details, vehicle information etc. by using the contact details at the bottom of this page.

What happens next?

Hunting Group Leaders of successful ballot entries will be sent an information package including the Game Authority that confirms your allocated Reserve and hunting period.  The Game Authority includes terms and conditions required by NRE Tas. This will be sent via the preference selected in your ballot application (email/mail). Please contact us if you don’t receive a Game Authority by 20 February 2026.

Important: You cannot hunt in a Reserve if you do not possess a Game Authority​.  

My Game Authority is inconsistent with the allocation table, or personal details are incorrect.

Please contact Game Services Tasmania using the contact details at the bottom of the page.

Reserve Information

For maps of each reserve, please visit the Public Land Ballot Reserve Access Summary webpage.