Support Hunting - A Necessary Action To Help Preserve Australia

According to the report “Counting the Cost: Impact of Invasive Animals in Australia, 2004” by The CRC, the cost impact nationally of feral animal species totaled $720 million per year. Left unmanaged, feral animals can adversely affect the environment and agricultural production.

According to the Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities, these species cause catastrophic damage and threats to Australian landscapes, agriculture, native species and industries every year.

It would be desirable to rid Australia of its worst invasive species, but this is not achievable in most cases as feral animals typically have few natural predators or fatal diseases and as a result have not naturally diminished, but rather multiplied rapidly.

NSW Agriculture studies recommend hunting to be appropriately incorporated into pest control plans, and this is recognised and supported nationally by both
Government and private organisations.

While hunting may be a controversial issue to some, in reality, conservation hunting has done much to save many of Australia’s endangered species from extinction by predation and habitat loss, along with significantly controlling the number of feral pest species and the coinciding damage that they inflict.

In Australia, there are more than 250,000 licensed hunters, all whom are governed by laws, guidelines and regulations, to ensure that hunting is done ethically and humanely.

Conventional control methods used by licensed hunters include trapping, baiting, fencing, shooting and tracking with dogs.

Sadly, regardless of how much these licensed hunters adhere to laws and guidelines, there is a small minority, who use unethical methods during hunting - giving those who participate legally and ethically - a bad image.

Under the Game and Feral Animal Control Act 2002, licensed hunters are permitted to use bows (not cross bows), firearms, knives and trained dogs while hunting on declared public land and private property with consent from the owner.

It is necessary, due to recent media slander of the hunting community - particularly of those who hunt with tracking dogs - that the Australian public and media are properly informed and educated on how strictly the strong majority of the licensed hunters community adhere to the ethical treatment of animals and governing laws.

The management of the number of feral pigs through the use of tracking dogs has in particular been singled out and labeled a so-called "blood sport" by members of
the media, government and public who are, unfortunately, very ill-informed.

This method, along with its benefits and reasons behind it, need to be understood and supported, in order for the Australian public to recognise that it is, in many circumstances, a more effective and humane way to control the growing number of these destructive pests.

Organisations such as the Australian Pig Doggers & Hunters Associations (APDHA) along with licensed hunters and their supporters nationally, condemn the illegal and immoral actions of any individual who does not adhere to ethical practices and laws whilst hunting.

Australia in turn, must rather than try to ban hunting in it's various forms, recognise the positive actions and effects that we provide to Australian land, agriculture and industries.