Foxes on the run

THE Victorian Government’s 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.

Agriculture Victoria Leading Biosecurity Officer, Nigel Roberts, said the fox and wild dog bounty had been running in Victoria since 2011.

“In that time, we have collected more than 722,000 fox scalps and 3,000 wild dog skin pieces through the bounty,” Mr Roberts said.

“We will be collecting from March until the end of October, which is consistent with previous years.”

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.

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.

“It’s important that everyone participating knows the requirements, so they can benefit from the bounty.”

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.

Appointments should be made by calling the Agriculture Victoria Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

“We 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.

“There 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.”

Foxes and wild dogs require ongoing management from all private and public land managers.

Agriculture Victoria supports an integrated approach, utilising a range of management practices to manage fox numbers, of which the bounty is a part.

For full details on bounty collection times and locations, terms and conditions, and frequently asked questions, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/bounty or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.