Hog deer are Australia’s smallest wild deer. Introduced from India and Ceylon in the 1860s, they now occur mainly in Victoria’s Gippsland coastal swamps. Mature stags stand around 70 cm at the shoulder and weigh about 50 kg, while hinds weigh roughly 30 kg. Their straw‑brown coats may show faint white spots, and slender antlers with three points on each side mark a mature stag. Because hog deer inhabit dense tea‑tree thickets and graze during low light, hunting them requires patience and stealth.
Hog deer hunts are conducted by stalking along the edges of coastal tea‑tree swamps or by waiting in concealed positions near open glades. These deer prefer to feed at dawn and dusk, so guides often glass likely areas at first light or late afternoon. Victoria offers the only viable hog deer hunting in Australia, and the open season is strictly limited to 1 April–30 April each year with a bag limit of one stag and one hind. Hunters must obtain tags in advance and cannot use dogs to pursue hog deer; rifle calibres around .243 calibre are typical.
Because hog deer populations are small and localised, regulation is rigorous. Deer are managed as protected wildlife under Victoria’s Wildlife Act, and hog deer hunters must carry their tags and record each animal taken. The irregular antler casting (usually August–October) means that not all stags carry hard antlers during the April season; careful selection ensures mature stags are harvested while younger animals remain. Hunting fees support habitat maintenance and predator control in the Gippsland coastal reserves where hog deer live.
Hog deer are herd animals yet are often encountered singly along thick swamp margins. They hide in reed beds during the day and burst from cover when disturbed, resembling small hogs—hence their name. Their success in Australia is limited because their preferred habitat is restricted, and crossbreeding with sambar deer does not occur. Hunters prize these diminutive deer for their wary nature and for the rarity of tags, making a successful hunt a noteworthy accomplishment.
Hog Deer can be found in the following location:
Hog Deer has the following variations:
- (Varieties to be confirmed)
