A strategy which aims to get Tasmania's fallow deer population down to 10,000 animals will be released on Wednesday.
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The 44-page strategy, developed by the Bob Brown Foundation and the Invasive Species Council, stated fallow deer occupied more than two million hectares of the state - or 27 per cent of its land mass.
It said habitat suitability modelling predicted deer could inhabit 56 per cent of the state in the future unless action was taken.
The strategy had proposed confinement of fallow deer to a population of less than 10,000 by 2032.
It said this population would be contained within the midlands zone.
It suggested this measure would return the population to that of the late 1970s and reduce the area occupied by deer to 12 per cent of the state.
The strategy is based on the principles of prevent, eradication, control and containment, and asset protection.
Control methods would include ground and aerial shooting by professional pest controllers, hunters, farmers and landowners as well as trapping, exclusion fencing, baiting, and non-lethal repellents.
The strategy has proposed the establishment of a Feral Deer Control Taskforce to ensure deer do not become established in the prevention zone, that deer are removed from the eradication zone by certain deadlines, and to reduce the statewide deer population.
It proposed the taskforce consider a trial of the use of wild shot fallow deer for commercial use.
If this was considered feasible and low-risk, the taskforce would be expected to work with industry to develop a policy around commercial use of deer carcasses.
The strategy is estimated to cost $1.8 million a year to implement.
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Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
