Hunting invasive birds in NSW state forests

[Hawker]

Hi All,

Just got my R hunting permit to hunt in state forests under the impression that you could hunt invasive myna, pidgeon and starlings. All the training seemed to indicate so and they are listed as species that can be hunted as game under the game and feral animal control act.

However every forest I try to book does not have these species listed in the written permission as able to be hunted. Am I missing something, did some law change or do I need to do some other course to have them listed on my written permissions?

Cheers!

[Border_Bloke]

That’s a good question.
Legally you can kill them but they aren’t mentioned in the state forest permissions so I’d probably leave them be there.
I have to admit I haven’t seen many of these birds in the state forests were I go as they mainly hang around people- farms and cities.

[Border_Bloke]

Update on this,
I just noticed that these birds ARE included in the species you can hunt n public land (https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/hunting/game-and-pests).

The DPI website now lists the following as game animals for public land hunting:

Cat (Felis catus)
Dog, other than dingo (Canis familiaris)
Goat (Capra hircus)
Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Hare (Lepus capensis)
Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common or Indian Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia)
Pig (Sus scrofa)[

As well as the following deer:

Fallow (Dama dama)
Red deer (Cervus elaphus)
Rusa (Cervus timorensis)
Sambar (Cervus unicolor)
Chital (Axis axis)
Hog deer (Axis porcinus)
Wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis)

[Fester]

Be careful blokes, as I don't think there is any bird shooting allowed in state forests.

That last post may have been an error, and the DPI writings clearly state on private "property''

[Mallee Cat]

Those species of birds are open range birds, meaning they mostly occupy more open range areas, for both feeding & safety / survival reasons.
Indian Myna;s & starlings are closely related, & along with pigeons always feed in numbers on open grasslands etc, but mynas & starlings might & probably often nest on the edge of forested areas.
Doubt you will see any great numbers of those species worthy of easy shooting well in forest areas.

[bladeracer]

Be careful blokes, as I don't think there is any bird shooting allowed in state forests.

That last post may have been an error, and the DPI writings clearly state on private "property''

For public land it says you require a hunting licence but it's pretty clear that you can shoot them on public land.

[Fester]

Now I am unsure again.
I always wondered, but concluded that in NSW state forest hunting, we could only shoot the listed pest mammals.

Do farmers get pigeon problems when growing grain or crops?

[bladeracer]

Now I am unsure again.
I always wondered, but concluded that in NSW state forest hunting, we could only shoot the listed pest mammals.

Do farmers get pigeon problems when growing grain or crops?

That is my understanding as well, if it's not specifically listed in the permission then you can't shoot it. We can't shoot cats down here because they are not listed as feral pest animals.

[MG5150]

Are there wild populations of Wapiti in NSW?

[Fester]

Are there wild populations of Wapiti in NSW?

If that is reds crossed with elk or whatever, it is true rather than a myth IMO.

Where the herds exist and how different they are to normal reds is anyone's guess.
There must be some differences, but the hunters in the know would have their mouths shut.

I wasn't even sure if they were in NSW or Vic

[Fester]

Now I am unsure again.
I always wondered, but concluded that in NSW state forest hunting, we could only shoot the listed pest mammals.

Do farmers get pigeon problems when growing grain or crops?

That is my understanding as well, if it's not specifically listed in the permission then you can't shoot it. We can't shoot cats down here because they are not listed as feral pest animals.

Cats, I have never seen a sleazy moggy, but they would be out there.
We can't shoot wild dogs in some areas because of some sort of dingo study going on.
They only classified the fox properly to stop that group of gay tunes from keeping them legally "Fox Rescue".
I don't know if they were on the forest shooting list when I started or not.
Dogs, I have heard, but not seen on public and a little private block that backed onto a huge cattle property.
Too close to Newcastle, and people prob dumped them to start the problem.
They get pretty cunning and not stupid though.

[Tiger650]

That’s a good question.
Legally you can kill them but they aren’t mentioned in the state forest permissions so I’d probably leave them be there.
I have to admit I haven’t seen many of these birds in the state forests were I go as they mainly hang around people- farms and cities.

I agree, you will see Starlings on occasion around vineyards and such but they and more particularly Indian Mynahs congregate where there are people.
Over many years I have shot many hundreds of the mongrel things.