SSAA Victoria News
Deer Wars: Same activists. Same claims. Same tired script.
Another week, another reheated anti-deer story. Same activists. Same talking points. Same missing context. Stock & Land (paywall) this week ran a story portraying Yanakie landholder Karin Ruff as an ordinary farmer battling a broken system. There is just one problem: readers weren't given the full...
READ MOREThis is what truly sharing the harvest looks like
New Zealand is demonstrating what can happen when governments, hunting organisations and charities work together rather than around each other. The New Zealand Game Animal Council (NZGAC) - a statutory body established by legislation to represent and promote game animal hunting, has launched Hunt...
READ MOREThe Deer Wars and the Invasive Species Council’s Tangled Web of Claims
The Invasive Species Council (ISC) has spent years campaigning against wild deer in Victoria. More recently, it has become increasingly focused on one specific target: removing game status from deer. SSAA Victoria has been accused of focusing heavily on this issue. That observation is correct. The...
READ MOREVictorian Government backs major upgrade for Eagle Park access road
SSAA Victoria has welcomed the Victorian Government’s decision to invest $2.5 million to seal Gifkins Road at Little River, improving access to the state’s most important firearms training and recreational shooting facility. The project, which will be delivered by the City of Greater Geelong,...
READ MOREProtester Convicted Over Illegal Conduct at Lake Boort
A man from Maldon has been found guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court for offences relating to unlawful protest activity during the closing weekend of the 2024 Victorian duck season at Lake Boort. The man was ordered to pay $500 to the court fund and was placed on a good behaviour bond until...
READ MOREWomen on Target Shepparton – Women only Come & Try shooting event
Curious about shooting sports? Women on Target Shepparton is the perfect opportunity to come along, give it a go and experience shooting sports in a safe, welcoming and supportive women-only environment. Designed specifically for women of all experience levels — including complete beginners —...
READ MOREScience Shows the Hard Truth: Deer Eradication Is Exceptionally Difficult – Even on a Small Island
A newly published Australian scientific paper detailing the eradication of invasive rusa deer from Queensland’s Wild Duck Island provides an important reality check for the increasingly common political rhetoric around “eradicating” wild deer populations. The study, published in Biological...
READ MOREUK Moves to Deregulate Silencers as Debate Continues in Australia
The United Kingdom Government has formally moved to deregulate firearm sound moderators, tabling amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill that would remove them from firearms licensing requirements in England and Wales. The move follows years of advocacy from shooting and rural organisations, with...
READ MORE$2.2 Million Secured to Keep Victoria’s Fox Bounty Working
Today’s Victorian State Budget has locked in $2.2 million to continue the Victorian Fox Bounty through to 30 June 2027, a clear vote of confidence in a program that delivers real, on-ground results. The Fox Bounty is a simple idea that works; it supports and incentivises recreational hunters to...
READ MOREVictorian Government Backs Hunters and Community with Landmark Venison Reform Funding
The Victorian Government’s State Budget has quietly included a measure that could prove to be one of the most significant steps forward for game management and community benefit in recent years: $300,000 over two years to undertake the policy work required to enable the processing of...
READ MOREAerial culling in North East Victoria – where it fits, and where it falls short
Parks Victoria has advised that aerial shooting programs targeting deer and other pest species (including feral pigs, goats and foxes) will be undertaken across parts of North East Victoria in late April and early May. Closures will apply to: Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park Mt Mittamatite...
READ MOREStock & Land misses the mark on deer…again
SSAA Victoria has criticised Stock & Land for running successive articles on deer that amount to little more than republished media releases from the Invasive Species Council, rather than balanced reporting. The latest piece, centred on an incident at Weerite, is a case in point. At the time of...
READ MOREVictorian Ministerial Reshuffle: Continuity, Confidence and Opportunity
Today's Victorian Ministerial reshuffle marks a significant transition across portfolios that are important to our members and the broader outdoor recreation community. At the centre of that change is the promotion of Steve Dimopoulos, who moves on from the Environment and Outdoor Recreation...
READ MORESSAA Victoria 2026 AGM Notice
2026 Annual General Meeting and postal ballot declaration The AGM will be held from 2pm to 4pm Sunday, September 27, 2026 at Hotel Bruce County, 445 Blackburn Road, Mt Waverley, Vic, 3149. Nominations to fill four Board vacancies will open May 11, 2026 and close June 12, 2026. Nominations to be...
READ MORENo, duck hunters aren’t locking anyone out of public wetlands
One of the more persistent myths circulating in the debate over Victoria's duck hunting season is that hunters effectively privatise public wetlands during the season, locking out birdwatchers, kayakers, and families who would otherwise be enjoying them. It's a compelling image. It's also wrong,...
READ MOREVictoria’s animal welfare overhaul is off the table – and that’s the right outcome
The Victorian Government has confirmed it will not bring the proposed Animal Care and Protection Bill to Parliament in 2026. Victoria's hunting community welcomes the decision - not because we oppose animal welfare, but because we always believed this legislation was built on the wrong foundations....
READ MOREHonouring a lifetime of service: Geoff Miller recognised at Cobaw Range
SSAA Victoria President Dave Schereck and CEO Jack Wegman attended a special gathering at the Cobaw Range over the weekend to recognise the outstanding contribution of long-time member Geoff Miller. In front of fellow members and supporters, Dave Schereck presented Geoff with a Member for Life Card...
READ MOREThat’s not how you spell “punt” – Animal rights activists breaking the law again
SSAA Victoria staff were on the ground supporting hunters at duck season opening yesterday and witnessed animal rights activists actively hindering and harassing lawful participants, while also behaving belligerently and uncooperatively with authorities. Our staff were present to engage with...
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