NSW Labor govt backs a bounty on Pigs, goats n cats

[Billo]

Good to see Chris Minns suggest a bounty on Feral pigs, goats and cats should be considered to help control feral numbers in NSW.

Whilst it would be good to get some cash back I'd still do it for free

[Wapiti]

So is it just a suggestion so far?

[womble]

Good to see Chris Minns suggest a bounty on Feral pigs, goats and cats should be considered to help control feral numbers in NSW.

Whilst it would be good to get some cash back I'd still do it for free

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

[Billo]

It’s about time we start thinking about novel ways of reducing the feral goat, the feral pig, the feral cat population, which has really taken over a lot of parks,” Mr Minns told Triple M Coffs Coast radio.

“We should be open to bounties and other things, because we’ve got a lot of recreational shooters out there that are actually getting rid of a lot of the pests roaming across our native vegetation.

“We can be doing far better on it.”

Nearly $1 billion is also being spent on prevention and protection against biosecurity threats in NSW.

[Wapiti]

Problem is, bounties have to be worth the trouble.
If you have plenty of time to chop off the proof and take it to a collection point, all good. Usually for most it's not worth it and as Billo said, he'd do it for free, if he had more opportunities I assume.

[womble]

So is it just a suggestion so far?

There’s been a pilot trial in one region and it’s looking like being rolled out state wide. 20 bucks a snout.

Hunters have been taking twice the pigs the local land services have culled. So it’s a no brainer.
The bounty is hopefully an incentive to bring in more hunters.

Pigs are out of control and the floods won’t help.

Don’t really want a pig plague.

[Wapiti]

Problem is, bounties have to be worth the trouble.
If you have plenty of time to chop off the proof and take it to a collection point, all good. Usually for most it's not worth it and as Billo said, he'd do it for free, if he had more opportunities I assume.

[womble]

Problem is, bounties have to be worth the trouble.
If you have plenty of time to chop off the proof and take it to a collection point, all good. Usually for most it's not worth it and as Billo said, he'd do it for free, if he had more opportunities I assume.

Still better than a kick in the teeth

[Wapiti]

Yeah, true. But time is money too. Bigtime.

If it's worth it, people will do it for sure.
Like keeping all their 10c cans and standing in line at the collection points.

[alexjones]

F the bounty and just let me spend $1500 of my own money to buy a suppressor from Wedgetail.

[Wapiti]

WHAT ??????????????
$1500 bucks?

[Oldbloke]

Problem is, bounties have to be worth the trouble.
If you have plenty of time to chop off the proof and take it to a collection point, all good. Usually for most it's not worth it and as Billo said, he'd do it for free, if he had more opportunities I assume.

Yep, don't bother with fox scalps any more. Only I think 4 days, each year for just a couple of hours that I can claim.
In the mean time I have to store them. (Mrs jacked up on the freezer.) So it's drying, or salting. What a fuk around. And it's not like I shoot 100 a year.

[bigrich]

Good to see Chris Minns suggest a bounty on Feral pigs, goats and cats should be considered to help control feral numbers in NSW.

Whilst it would be good to get some cash back I'd still do it for free

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

hell yeah ! take the bounty ,diesel and ammo isn't free that's for sure . fox hunters used to make some good money when their pelts were worth something years ago . animal rights activists killed that off

[JohnV]

The idea will get fierce opposition from antigun and animal rights lobby and scientists involved in pest eradication research racket and possibly professional pest management shooters . When good sized winter fox skins were $28 , it was good pocket money and financed a lot of my gear . Bounties work and that's why scientists hate them . They spent $14 000 000 dollars to eradicate of rats and rabbits from Macquarie Island and two shooters could have done it for $2 000 000 + Transport , ammo , baits , food and fuel . They were spending $20 000 dollars to train a dog to catch rats , WTF , a fox terrier will do it instinctively .
The potential down side of this is once pigs .goats and cats become worth more money the local farmers and graziers will want their cut or not let you on at all and collect the bounty themselves . It happens somewhat now with feral goats in the flatter country where they can round them up .

[alexjones]

WHAT ??????????????
$1500 bucks?

Pretty sure thats what they cost. $1100-$1300 something like that.

[Billo]

More details of the Bill the SFF will be putting forward

The Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025 will revise the management system for public-land hunting in NSW, introduce reforms including allowing licensed hunters to use suppressors, and recognise hunting as both a conservation tool and a cultural tradition.

Sporting Shooter understands the SFF has gained the support of the NSW Government and has the numbers to see the bill through.

“This is about balance,” Mr Borsak said. “It ensures hunting is well-managed, ethical and effective, it encourages participation on public and private land, benefiting our environment, economy and regional communities.”

The bill will create a new Conservation Hunting Authority (CHA) to replace the existing Game and Pest Management Advisory Board, and it will replace the R-licence with a new Conservation Hunting Licence.

The bill has not yet been tabled but a summary of it provided to Sporting Shooter gives an overview of what Mr Borsak is trying to achieve.

“The Bill formally recognises hunting as a conservation tool supporting biodiversity, pest control, sustainable land use, and cultural heritage,” the notes say.

It will encourage the use of technology, including thermal, night vision and suppressors on private land.

Access to “ethical, regulated hunting on suitable Crown lands” will be expanded — and the bill explicitly slates another 50,000 hectares of public land to be opened to hunters.

“The cultural, social, and spiritual importance of hunting to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians” will be recognised under the bill.

Significantly, voluntary or conservation hunting will be formally integrated into the state’s pest control regime under a “community-based conservation model,” although details of that model are not yet available.

“For too long, government pest control programs have been costly and always ineffective,” Mr Borsak said. “This Bill empowers licensed hunters to contribute to a community-based conservation model that works.”

As part of this, bounty systems will be enabled, rewarding hunters for pest control efforts.

The Conservation Hunting Authority will handle education, licensing, policy advice etc, but the Department of Primary Industries, under which public-land and game-bird hunting is currently administered, will continue to have responsibility for regulatory compliance.

The CHA would be a statuary body without authority for regulations, and ultimately the Minister for Hunting and Fishing — or if that position is not created, the Minister for Primary Industries — will retain that responsibility.

Greater detail will be available once the bill has been tabled on 28 May.

[bladeracer]

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

You mean our money, tax money comes from our own pockets, or at least it's what's left after the politicians line their pockets.

[Oldbloke]

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

You mean our money, tax money comes from our own pockets, or at least it's what's left after the politicians line their pockets.

spot on

[Billo]

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

You mean our money, tax money comes from our own pockets, or at least it's what's left after the politicians line their pockets.

With the NSW LLS getting billed up to $250 per pig in my area it would seem giving local hunters $20 to do the same job makes more sense and only strengthens our voice ??

[Billo]

F the bounty and just let me spend $1500 of my own money to buy a suppressor from Wedgetail.

Supressor use by licensed hunters on private lands is part of the Bill being put forward today. $1500 is a rip off

[Flyonline]

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

You mean our money, tax money comes from our own pockets, or at least it's what's left after the politicians line their pockets.

And is it tax free?

[Oldbloke]

Don’t do it for free. Take their money.

You mean our money, tax money comes from our own pockets, or at least it's what's left after the politicians line their pockets.

And is it tax free?

I believe it is. Unless you earn say 3k.

It's just considered a "hobby" if the arenings are not great. Not sure where they draw the line tho.

Keep in mind to that if it was taxed you would be able to claim,
Fuel/milage
Ammo
Devaluation of firearm etc

[alexjones]

F the bounty and just let me spend $1500 of my own money to buy a suppressor from Wedgetail.

Supressor use by licensed hunters on private lands is part of the Bill being put forward today. $1500 is a rip off

Suppressors made in Australia such as the ones by Wedgetail will cost a fortune because the market is so small.

Just like an AR15 made in Australia is over 5 grand when in America you can buy one for $500

[Wapiti]

That is true. And if you look at the big names in the suppressor market in the USA, they don't have huge output. Their production lines are only single stations, from their own promotional videos.
And they sell for upwards of $1000 US and almost double for the exotic (but more fragile) Titanium 3D printed jobs. Convert that to AUD and scare yourself.
Plus, prior to ordering one, you need tge tax stamp which costs $200 US per unit.

Manufacturing what has to withstand a 50-60,000 psi plus fireball continuously costs money and excellent materials and design.

[alexjones]

There would only be maybe 10 thousand cat D licence holders in Australia with maybe only 1000 or so able to get suppressors so the market is tiny.

Obviously these numbers are made up my myself but would probably be close enough.

[Wapiti]

We hope to see suppressors in Cat C. That puts them in the category of most occupational shooters, so they could fit them down to their lower Cat B firearm category.

Now there aren't any Cat C rifles I'm aware of, other than rimfires which most of us don't find ideal for large animal control, that this will apply to. Primary Producers, being the food growers as opposed to pro shooters (occupational), yeah, it will mostly apply to those who currently fit the Cat D genuine reasons.

So there are more opportunities than you might think.

[Wapiti]

Back to the OP, this is rather interesting.

https://www.netimes.com.au/2025/05/28/f ... -294505621

I thought a group called an "invasive Species Council" was interested in the minimisation of invasive species. Seems like the only invasive things they know about are when their pants are off.

[fussy]

Instead of a bounty, get off the backs of law-abiding hunters.
More people will take it up and you have a free pest control service, which (like duck hunting) will inject money in local small town economies.

[Oldbloke]

Back to the OP, this is rather interesting.

https://www.netimes.com.au/2025/05/28/f ... -294505621

I thought a group called an "invasive Species Council" was interested in the minimisation of invasive species. Seems like the only invasive things they know about are when their pants are off.

Happy for the government to spend many millions of tax payers money to pay for shooters in helicopters because they are ideology opposed to private gun ownership.