Hunting

Pest animal control - involving hunting and shooting groups 

Parks and Wildlife undertakes a range of introduced and native pest animal control programs across department-managed lands, unallocated Crown Land and unmanaged reserves in Western Australia. Target species may include feral goats, deer, cats and pigs and foxes. The programs can involve baiting, trapping, or shooting, and may be carried out in collaboration with other agencies and groups, such as the Department of Agriculture and Food WA , recognised biosecurity groups, catchment councils, declared species groups, and recreational hunting and shooting groups.

Biodiversity or priority land management outcomes are the primary aims for pest animal control on department-managed lands. Recreational hunting and shooting groups have the opportunity to support Parks and Wildlife in achieving these aims.

Parks and Wildlife will engage the services of recognised recreational hunting and shooting groups to undertake pest animal control where the involvement is safe, cost effective and will lead to improved biodiversity outcomes. Groups may assist through:

• the provision of complementary support or parallel control effort to current or planned strategic pest animal control;
• where the department does not have the capacity or resources to undertake such control; and/or
• where a group can adopt an asset or defined area of land to remove pest animals to assist with effective biodiversity outcomes.

Eligibility for involvement in Parks and Wildlife pest animal control work
Parks and Wildlife recognises eligible recreational hunting and shooting groups for inclusion in pest animal control programs through a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU will be between Parks and Wildlife and the Western Australian peak body of each participating group. To become involved the group will need to meet established criteria to enter into an MoU. The criteria is outlined in the information sheet, or can be requested by contacting the Pest Program Coordinator.

Individuals are only eligible to participate if they are a member of a recreational hunting or shooting group formally recognised by way of an MoU. Individuals who are NOT members of such a group WILL NOT be eligible for participation.

Where there is an opportunity to engage a recognised recreational hunting or shooting group, a works agreement and appropriate authorisations will be negotiated between Parks and Wildlife and that group. The work agreement will outline in more detail specific objectives and operational requirements, as well as the time and place of the pest animal control work to be included in the approved program.

A list of animal pest control opportunities will be included on this page as and when they are identified through regional works programs.

For further information please contact: