Bairnsdale has emerged as one of the state’s primary hotspots for recreational deer hunting, according to official data released by the Game Management Authority (GMA) last week.
The Estimates of the 2025 deer harvest in Victoria report reveals that Bairnsdale ranks as the second most popular hunting area in the state, trailing only Mansfield.
Furthermore, local state forests and hunting grounds surrounding Bairnsdale accounted for the second-highest volume of total deer harvested across Victoria during the 2025 period, cementing the region’s significant role in the state’s recreational shooting and outdoor tourism economies. Nearby Heyfield also featured in the top five locations for total harvest numbers.
Statewide, the report indicates that a total of 158,500 deer were taken in 2025. While this represents a minor drop from the 167,600 deer harvested in 2024, the figure remains a massive 66 per cent above the long-term annual average of 95,400 recorded since 2009.
Sambar Deer continue to be the most prevalent species targeted by hunters in the region, making up 118,400 of the total state harvest, with females accounting for 54 per cent of that figure. Fallow Deer were the second most harvested species at 38,000, with 55 per cent being female.
The GMA recorded 51,347 licenced recreational deer hunters in Victoria last year. Of those, 55 per cent actively took to the field, averaging 5.6 deer each over an average of 11 days of hunting.
GMA research principal, Dr Jason Flesch, said the findings were compiled using data from roughly 4700 randomly selected licenced hunters who participated in voluntary phone surveys throughout the year.
“This research helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria,” Dr Flesch said.
The comprehensive study is produced annually by the GMA in collaboration with the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research.
