Forum to discuss solutions to rising deer numbers in the North East

The Upper Murray Landcare Network has organised the Cudgewa event in response to increasing concerns with deer numbers.

Network secretary Lyn Coulston said although no precise research had been done on the population, there was no doubt it was growing. 

"We did a catchment plan in 1998 and deer were hardly featured, in 2002 they got a bit more of a mention but in 2012 they were very much up the top there,” Ms Coulston said.

"In those 15 years that gives you an idea how in the community's mind they're seeing more in their paddocks, they're seeing more impacts of them in the bush."

Ms Coulston said deer, mainly sambar, were damaging the ecosystem.

 "There's a bit of concern about impacts on small streams and water quality issues in bogs where they wallow,” she said.

Ms Coulston said farmers were facing costs as deer became more mobile.

"They jump fences, you've got to have a two-metre fence if you want to keep out a deer," she said.

"If you're a farmer and you're putting up a two-metre fence it gets very costly.

"People are also finding where they're sowing pasture in crops that deer are coming in and running all over it, that's not what you want, you don't leave your own stock in there.

"You have these unintended consequences of having the deer roaming through."

Representatives of Parks Victoria, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the Australian Deer Association and Victorian Game Management Authority will speak at the September 3 forum at Cudgewa Recreation Reserve.

 "It's not a pro or anti deer forum, it's a deer information session," Ms Coulston said.

The prospect of a cull will also be considered.

"Is there a space out there for a cull somewhere, you tell us, we don't know that,” Ms Coulston said.

She noted Parks Victoria had recently culled deer in the alps.

Registrations for the forum are due by August 28 and can be made by phoning 0427 437 439 or emailing umlandcare@bigpond.com.