Almost 160,000 deer harvested by recreational hunters in 2025

The Game Management Authority has today released the Estimates of the 2025 deer harvest in Victoria report.

The Game Management Authority has today released the Estimates of the 2025 deer harvest in Victoria report.

Results show an estimated 158,500 deer were harvested in 2025. This is similar to the 167,600 deer harvested in 2024 and 66 per cent above the long-term average of 95,400 since 2009.

Sambar Deer were the most harvested species with an estimated harvest of 118,400 deer, of which 54 per cent were female. Fallow Deer were the second most harvested species, with an estimated harvest of 38,000 deer, of which 55 per cent were female.

The number of licenced recreational deer hunters in 2025 was 51,347. Fifty-five per cent of licensed hunters actively hunted in 2025 and each harvested an average of 5.6 deer over 11 days of hunting.

The most popular hunting areas were around the towns of Mansfield, Bairnsdale, Corryong, Wodonga and Alexandra, respectively. The highest number of deer harvested were around the towns of Mansfield, Bairnsdale, Healesville, Heyfield and Wodonga, respectively.

GMA Research Principal, Dr Jason Flesch, said the research was based on information gathered from randomly selected licenced deer hunters who voluntarily participated in the phone surveys.

“Approximately 4,700 deer hunters participated in the phone survey and provided information about their hunting activity, including how many deer were harvested, where hunting occurred, hunting methods used and the species of deer harvested.”

“This research helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria,” Dr Flesch said.

The report is produced annually by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.

See the full report - Estimates of the 2025 deer harvest report.

Media contact: Nick Foster: 0417 293 365