South Australia hunting dogs: permits, pig control and land categories

Key facts

Pig-dog policy

Flushing from vegetation for control programmes [source]

Recreational hunting and impact control have different permit settings

The Department for Environment and Water says a Basic Hunting Permit is required for recreational feral-animal hunting or assisting someone to hunt. It separately explains that a permit is not required when feral animals are destroyed to manage impacts on crops, stock or property by the landowner, their household or someone acting at the landowner’s request. Duck and quail hunting use their own permits during declared open seasons, including people assisting the hunt. Duck applicants also require a waterfowl identification test. The purpose and species therefore determine the relevant permit resource before the dog’s involvement is considered.

Feral pigs have a specific dog-use policy

PIRSA’s published feral-pig policy adds a specific method distinction. It states that dogs may be used to flush pigs from vegetation in support of control programmes and that allowing a dog to harm, bring down or kill a pig is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act. The policy also addresses declared-animal controls on moving, keeping, selling and releasing pigs. These requirements belong to pest management and animal welfare alongside the hunting-permit system. An arrangement to assist a property owner consequently needs to identify the control purpose and dog role rather than assuming a general recreational permit settles every part of the operation.

Land category changes the available activity

DEW’s hunting resource distinguishes private land, game reserves and unalienated Crown land. Private-land hunting requires the landowner’s written permission within the relevant permit and season arrangements. Game reserves allow declared-season duck hunting, with reserve openings and exclusion zones specified; other animals, including feral species, cannot be hunted there. Forest reserves, national parks and the listed conservation and recreation park categories are closed to hunting. This gives handlers a practical reason to identify the exact tenure and activity. A reserve that admits one seasonal bird hunt is not a general site for pig-dog work or unrestricted training.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• DEW: hunting permits and exemptions (opens in a new tab)
• PIRSA: feral-pig policy (opens in a new tab)
• DEW: hunting and land categories (opens in a new tab)

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