A submission seeking changes to the animal’s protected status was unanimously passed at this month’s council meeting, with councillor Tanya King citing motor accidents and property damage as an increasing problem.

Cr King said she had been made aware of four recent motor vehicle incidents involving deer.

“I have been approached by several members of the community who are suitably qualified, and are very concerned about the observed rise in numbers, and the increased numbers of sightings, fence and crop damage, and incidence of deer on our roads,” Cr King said.

“They're becoming an increasing problem and they don't just live up in the mountains anymore, we've got a colony right here in Westbury who graze in the cemetery every night.” 

Despite being an introduced species, the animal currently enjoys a protected status in Tasmania.

Hunters are limited to two deer per season, one of which must be antlerless, and can only hunt one one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset. 

Dogs or spotlights cannot be used in a hunt.

In 2015, a University of Tasmania report found the state's deer population could skyrocket from 40,000 to more than 1 million by 2050 under the current legislation.

“A farmer or a road user who has an animal that's creating a problem or a nuisance can't do anything about it unless they have a permit to take deer or a crop protection permit, and because they're introduced they have no natural predator apart from us and we've got one hand tied behind our back.

“The numbers continue to grow and we're noticing that they're in Westbury, sometimes you see them on the the Bass Highway around Prospect and Hadspen there - one of our councillors saw one at Blackstone Heights recently and near Bunnings.”

Council have called for residents to report any sightings or encounters with wild fallow deer on roads in the municipality.