Since 1965, Sunday Island, in Corner Inlet on the South Gippsland Coast, has been owned and managed by the Para Park Co-Operative Game Reserve (Para Park), primarily for managing and hunting the wild hog deer population.
Para Park sets an annual harvest quota for the wild deer on the Island to ensure sustainability and to ‘quality manage’ the deer for body weight, reproductive capacity and antler quality. Deer hunting on the Island is open to Para Park members on balloted blocks throughout an extended hunting season.
For over twenty years now, under the stewardship of David Young, Para Park has also extended the privilege of hunting wild hog deer on Sunday Island to junior hunters who are not members of Para Park through the Para Park Junior Ballot Program.
The Junior Ballot is open to hunters aged 12-17 years from anywhere in Australia who have a Junior Shooters Licence and are prepared to obtain a Victorian Game Licence. Experienced Para Park members guide all Junior Ballot hunters, and their families are invited to come along with them and enjoy all that Sunday Island has to offer.
Each year, between four and six hunters are drawn for an opportunity to hunt. Hunters drawn out in the ballot must attend a training weekend on Sunday Island, including theory and practical shooting sessions.
With long-term forecasts indicating that a return to El Niño influenced weather conditions were likely for late 2023, a larger than usual harvest quota was set for Sunday Island for this year, meaning that six junior hunters could be offered a hunting opportunity.
For 2023, the Junior Ballot was sponsored by Spika and Leica.
Participants were kitted out from head to toe in Spika’s latest hunting clothing and were loaned 10 x 42 Leica Trinovid binoculars for their hunts.
Six hunters took four hinds and two small stags on the 2023 ballot. Beyond that, they took home some of the finest venison and skills, memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Entries for the Para Park Junior Ballot for 2024 are open until 22 November 2023 CLICK HERE to enter
