Tasmanian shooter says 'barbaric' number of bullets used in deer cull

In a Tasmanian first, an aerial shoot of wild fallow deer within the Walls of Jerusalem National Park and the nearby western Central Plateau Conservation Area occurred in May this year, killing 711 deer in 72 hours of flight-time over 39 flights in a 21-day period.

The state purchased 10 semi-automatic weapons, with suppressors, for the aerial cull, at a cost of $26,300.

It also used Thermal Assisted Aerial Culling (TAAC) methods which uses thermal imaging and manual operators to search for deer.

A Mid-Project Update report on the aerial cull shows that 4855 rounds of ammunition were used to kill 711 deer, which is an average of 6.4 rounds per deer.

Independent shooter Andrew Winwood said this average bullet usage was too high, with research showing that best-practice bullet usage should be 1.4 to 2.4 bullets per animal.

"In this Tasmanian cull they used an average 6.4 bullets per animal," Mr Winwood said.

"That would tell me that it was an absolute massacre.

"Yes, they had to be removed from the park, but did we have to be that barbaric, to spray them with bullets just to get them to fall over. Is that okay?

"Some of those deer would have been killed with one bullet. Some would have been killed with ten bullets. How can you put your hand on your heart and say that this was fair to those animals."

Mr Winwood said from a shooter's perspective, a humane way to kill the deer is one terminal shot to the head or neck.

He said the guns that were used in an experienced aerial cull would easily have done this.

"They don't need to use 5.5 extra bullets," Mr Windwood said

"It seems they administered three or four bullets to slow the animal down, so then they could kill it."

Mr Winwood said Tasmanian shooters could have conducted an on-ground cull within the national park, that would have offered a cost-effective, resource-effective and more humane kill for the deer.

The aerial cull used seven NRE Tas officers trained in aerial marksman skills to conduct the aerial shoot, and received $400,000 in federal funding over the two year project.

Guidelines developed by Parks and Wildlife specifically for the cull held that each deer would need to be shot a minimum of three times, even if one shot had instantly killed.

The state's chief vet officer reviewed thermal and video footage recorded by the helicopter contractor to ensure that animal welfare was considered at all times.

The Mid-Project Update by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service said that there were zero wounded animal escapes.

"The entire project period was monitored to assess animal welfare outcomes by both independent contracted and government veterinary officers," the report read.

"Veterinary officers were satisfied that all animal welfare outcomes were achieved."

The cull is federally funded for $400,000, with an additional cull planned for the same time next year.

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