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Illegal deer poacher fined

A Warragul man was found guilty in Moe Magistrates Court on October 28 of hunting Hog deer during the closed season and of destroying a kangaroo. The man was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay court costs.

By Department of Sustainability and Environment - 29th October 2003 - Back to News

A Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Wildlife Officer and the Police found the antlers and skull of a Hog deer and the hindquarters of a kangaroo while searching residential premises in Warragul for illegally obtained game species in March this year.

Kangaroos are classified as protected wildlife throughout the state of Victoria, and may not be hunted for recreational purposes. Hog deer are a highly coveted game species of deer, which has a short open season of only one month.

DSE Wildlife Officer Anthony Ball said that compared to other species of deer, Hog deer are relatively uncommon and in Victoria exist in relatively isolated coastal areas of Gippsland.

"It’s a shame that legitimate hunters and hunting organizations put in valuable time and effort to assist the Department in managing this resource, only to have their efforts flouted by rogue hunters," Mr Ball said.

"Poachers sometimes illegally trap these deer or shoot them at night or out of season, which can have a real impact on the success of the law abiding hunters."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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