Hound Hunting Success: The Numbers Tell the Story
The latest harvest data from the Victorian Game Management Authority reveals a compelling story about the effectiveness of hound hunting for Sambar Deer management. The statistics demonstrate not only growing participation in this traditional hunting method but also its remarkable success in deer harvest outcomes.

The Numbers Speak for Themselves

Over the past three years, hound hunting has shown impressive growth and effectiveness:

2022 Season:

• Total Sambar Deer harvested using hounds: 12,428 (95% CI = 10,135-15,239)
• Active hound hunters: 1,943 (40% of endorsed licence holders)
• Average harvest per active hound hunter: 6.4 deer
• Licence holders endorsed for hound hunting: 5,144

2023 Season:

• Total Sambar Deer harvested using hounds: 13,625 (95% CI = 11,416-16,260)
• Active hound hunters: 1,647 (34% of endorsed licence holders)
• Average harvest per active hound hunter: 8.3 deer
• Licence holders endorsed for hound hunting: 5,153

2024 Season:

• Total Sambar Deer harvested using hounds: 20,398 (95% CI = 18,300-22,700)
• Active hound hunters: 2,300 (47% of endorsed licence holders)
• Average harvest per active hound hunter: 9.0 deer
• Licence holders endorsed for hound hunting: 5,057

Remarkable Growth in Effectiveness

The 2024 season marked a watershed moment for hound hunting in Victoria. The harvest of 20,398 Sambar Deer represents a 50% increase over 2023 and a 64% increase over 2022. Even more impressive, the average harvest per active hound hunter reached 9.0 deer in 2024, demonstrating a 27% increase over the long-term average and showcasing the growing efficiency and skill of Victorian hound hunters.

Why Hound Hunting Works

The 2024 data reveals that hound hunting teams achieved an 88% hunt success rate, dramatically outperforming traditional stalking methods. While the efficiency per team member was 0.38 deer per hunting day, this translates to significantly higher harvest rates per hunter (9.0 deer annually) because hound hunters spent more days in the field (24.0 days on average) compared to general deer hunters (13.5 days).

The method’s success lies in several key advantages:

• Targeted approach: Hounds can locate deer in dense vegetation where stalking is ineffective
• Non Selective harvest: Hounds don’t care if it’s a trophy stag
• Year-round capability: Legal from April 1 to November 30, providing extended harvest opportunities
• Team efficiency: Coordinated efforts maximise success rates

Growing Participation

The near-record proportion of active hound hunters (47% in 2024) represents a 7% increase over previous season averages.
This growing participation, combined with improving efficiency, demonstrates that more hunters are recognising the effectiveness of this traditional method.

The Untapped Potential

Despite these impressive numbers, hound hunting remains significantly underutilized in Victoria’s deer management strategy.
In 2024, hound hunting accounted for approximately 10% of the total recreational deer harvest, yet it consistently delivers higher
per-hunter harvest rates than any other recreational hunting method.

Here’s why hound hunting should be the #1 tool in Sambar Deer management:

1. Proven Effectiveness: With harvest rates 40% higher per hunter than general hunting methods, hound hunting delivers results
2. Access to Difficult Terrain: Sambar Deer thrive in Victoria’s dense, mountainous forests where stalking is extremely challenging. Hounds excel in exactly these environments
3. Sustainable and Selective: Teams can assess deer before harvest, ensuring sustainable and ethical outcomes with a 56% female harvest ratio contributing to population control
4. Scalability: With only 5,057 endorsed hound hunters and less than half actively hunting in any given season, there’s enormous potential for growth
5. Cost-Effective: Unlike commercial culling operations, recreational hound hunting requires no taxpayer funding while achieving significant harvest outcomes

A Call to Action

The statewide deer monitoring program estimated total deer abundance on public land at 191,153, with Sambar Deer comprising 123,061 of that total.
With deer populations continuing to impact Victoria’s native ecosystems, we need to embrace all effective management tools.

The data is clear: hound hunting works. It’s time for wildlife managers, land managers, and policy makers to recognise hound hunting not as a niche activity, but as a primary tool in the fight to manage Victoria’s Sambar Deer population.

Victorian Hound Hunters Inc. stands ready to work with government agencies, conservation groups, and land managers to expand access and opportunities for this highly effective hunting method. The numbers prove what we’ve always known – when it comes to Sambar Deer management, hounds get results.

Join us in advocating for expanded hound hunting opportunities across Victoria. Together, we can make a real difference in managing our deer populations while preserving this traditional hunting heritage.

GMA 2024 Report: 2024 Victorian deer harvest report