General
Is recreational hunting an effective form of pest animal management?
Recreational hunting causes inevitable pain and suffering to animals and is not an effective form of pest management. In the limited circumstances where shooting is carried out as part of a pest animal management program, professional marksmen have been shown to be more effective than recreational hunters.
Can recreational hunting hinder the management of pest animals?
The answer is yes. Recreational hunters have interfered with the effective control of pest animals in some areas, especially in state forests. Evidence from genetic studies has shown that pig hunters have illegally transported feral pigs into new areas.
Is recreational hunting humane?
Recreational hunting poses many welfare risks associated with shooting as well as stalking or chasing animals. In addition, there is limited legal protection for hunted animals who are injured due to minimal standards and lack of monitoring of hunters to safeguard animal welfare.
Which states allow recreational hunting in National Parks?
Recreational hunters are, or have been, permitted under strict controls in specified national parks in Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia. In all states, most national parks and reserves are closed to hunting at all times.
What is the RSPCA’s view on recreational hunting?
The RSPCA opposes recreational hunting, or the act of stalking or pursuing an animal and then killing it for sport, due to the inherent and inevitable pain and suffering caused.
Which animals can be hunted for sport or recreation?
Due to the inherent risks involved, many animals hunted for sport or recreation will suffer pain and distress.
How does hunting affect non-target animals?
Hunting not only affects the target animal that is killed or wounded by a bullet, arrow or knife. It can also have a significant negative impact on other animals, particularly dependent young.
How do recreational hunters kill deer and is it humane?
Hunting poses many welfare risks including injury, pain and distress, especially for a species like deer as they are highly sensitive and will panic easily if disturbed.
Are there any alternatives to recreational hunting that do not involve killing animals?
The RSPCA opposes recreational hunting due to the inherent and inevitable pain and suffering caused to animals and strongly encourages alternative ways to demonstrate precision and accuracy using a firearm. There are many well-established shooting disciplines which simulate hunting and can be enjoyed recreationally without the use of animals.
What are trophy and canned hunting and are they legal in Australia?
Hunting animals for sport poses significant animal welfare risks in relation to the pursuit of animals, use of dogs, injuries caused, and the potential for a slow, painful death (where animals have not been killed outright).