THE Victorian Government\u2019s fox and wild dog bounty will resume in March 2019 with Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Officers in attendance at designated collection centres from today, beginning in the North East.<\/p>\n
Agriculture Victoria Leading Biosecurity Officer, Nigel Roberts, said the fox and wild dog bounty had been running in Victoria since 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn that time, we have collected more than 722,000 fox scalps and 3,000 wild dog skin pieces through the bounty,\u201d Mr Roberts said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be collecting from March until the end of October, which is consistent with previous years.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eligible participants can submit entire fox scalps for a $10 reward and entire wild dog skin pieces for a $120 reward during scheduled collection times.<\/p>\n
Mr Roberts urges hunters to refresh their knowledge with the terms and conditions of the bounty to ensure the pieces they submit are acceptable, and to check the collection centre open times as there have been scheduling changes for 2019 due to public holidays.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that everyone participating knows the requirements, so they can benefit from the bounty.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also reminds hunters that the collection of entire wild dog skin pieces for the North West Wild Dog Control Area is by appointment only.<\/p>\n
Appointments should be made by calling the\u00a0Agriculture Victoria Customer Service Centre on 136 186.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe expect larger numbers of scalps and wild dog skin pieces to be submitted in the first few months as farmers and hunters usually stockpile while the bounty shuts down over summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is also a peak in fox hunting activity as young, vulnerable juvenile foxes are displaced around the landscape at the end of summer and beginning of autumn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Foxes and wild dogs require ongoing management from all private and public land managers.<\/p>\n
Agriculture Victoria supports an integrated approach, utilising a range of management practices to manage fox numbers, of which the bounty is a part.<\/p>\n