​​​​​​​​​​​​​Hunting Seasons and Licence Costs

Under the Wildlife (General) Regulations 2010 and the Nature Conservation Act 2002 game licences are required to hunt the following during the gazetted seasons:

Open Seasons 2018

Season dates are subject to change without notice in response to the results of monitoring and changes in seasonal conditions.

• ​Deer
  Adult Male:  
  Season runs from 24/02/2018 to 01/04/2018  
  
  Antlerless: 
  ​Season runs from 10/03/2018 to 01/04/2018 and from 12/05/2018 to 01/07/2018 

• ​Wild Duck: 
  ​​​Season runs from 10/03/2018 to 11/06/2018 
  

• ​Muttonbird (non-commercial):  
  ​​Season runs from 31/03/2018 to 15/04/2018 
  

• Wallaby:  
  Season runs from 26/02/2018 to 24/02/2019 
  

• Brown Quail:  
  Season runs from 12/05/2018 to 24/06/2018 
  

• Male Pheasant (King Island only):  
  ​Season runs from 09/06/2018 to 10/06/2018 
  

Game Hunting Requirements

Before applying for a licence applicants must read and understand the game hunting requirements. These requirements cover things such as firearms licence requirements, pension concessions, bag limits, licence costs, replacing lost/damaged licences, replacing lost/damaged tags, waterfowl identification test certificate and more. If you are applying to renew your licence, you must also first have returned the Game Take Return​ form for the previous season.

Hunters are reminded that game licences, purchased for species where the use of a firearm is required, are only valid in conjunction with the applicant's current firearms licence.

Applicants purchasing via the post or online through the game licensing website may be required to produce their firearms licence for verification.

Any game licence application or renewal application sent via post that does not show an applicant's current firearms licence number will be returned to the applicant without processing.

Requirement to declare prior convictions

All hunters making an application to purchase a game licence are required to declare any relevant offence that they have been convicted of during the preceding five year period.

"relevant offence" means -
(a) an offence under the Nature Conservation Act 2002, the Animal Welfare Act 1993, the Firearms Act 1996, the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002,or the Threatened Species Protection Act 1995; or
(b) regulations made under any of those Acts;
or
(c) such other offence as determined by the Secretary for the purpose of this regulation;

If any application for a game licence is made through any Service Tasmania shop and the YES box is ticked in relation to the question "Have you been convicted of a wildlife related offence in the past five (5) years?" the Service Tasmania staff are to decline your application and direct you to the Wildlife Management Branch reception. If applying online then you must contact the Wildlife Management Branch prior to commencing your online application. Their details can be found at the bottom of the page. You will be required to provide details of your wildlife-related conviction so an assessment can be made in relation to your application. There is the possibility of applications for a game licence being declined.

How to Apply

All applicants please note that all hunting season dates may be subject to change at any time.

There are three ways to apply for a recreational game licence once the Game Season opens (1 February 2018):

1. In person at any Service Tasmania shop.

2. Fill in an application form, and post with your cheque or money order to Wildlife Management Branch, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water, and Environment at GPO Box 44, Hobart 7001.

3. Apply online. Click on the link below to proceed. For online applications we accept Mastercard and Visa.