This section is designed to discuss potential solutions to living with deer. The VDCCN does not endorse or favour any particular supplier, contractor or product. This is simply a list of tools and options available. It is not comprehensive and will be built on further over time.
Feral deer typically live and move across properties. Coordination of deer control amongst neighbouring landholders is the best approach to effectively control deer and reduce their impacts.
Start by talking to your neighbours in your area and listen to each other’s stories and concerns about feral deer.
Consider forming a collaborative group. By forming a group, you will build awareness in your community, be able to make community-led decisions about which control tools to use, encourage other stakeholders (private, industry, local government) to work with you, and potentially seek funding together.
Establishing deer control community networks
The Victorian Deer Control Community Network ran a webinar in April 2022 on establishing deer control community networks with examples. The video can be viewed here:
The following video is of a webinar run by the Nillumbik Shire Council in 2021 about working with neighbours to control rising deer numbers in rural and peri-urban environments.
PestSmart provides resources to support planning and preparing pest control plans here:
Collaborative Community Deer Management: Knowledge to Action
The following video is of a webinar run by the Nillumbik Shire Council in 2020 to discuss what landowners have been doing to manage deer and what can be done to try and reduce deer impacts and numbers.
