This idea has merit! IF it's managed well. Let's not allow the sentimentality of a few vocal tree huggers to derail a potential pest management tool and generator of income for a suffering sector of our economy.

So the State Government's plan is to allow Victorian farms to become little more than shooting galleries to kill harmless wildlife - how sickening. For a fistful of dollars farmers would be able to open up their land to hunters to maim and kill defenceless animals just for enjoyment. What other cruelties against animals have you in store for us Mr Brumby? Sincerely, Kathleen Timmerman.

Mr Jennings main hobby would appear to be flying kites. If so, he should appreciate that this can be a hazardous activity for a person whose livelihood is contingent upon his public image.

This is a absurd idea. If this is the idea of the DSE then they should give up the contradiction of "environment" in their title. Feral animals will be added to continue the income, and native animals will end up suffering and be targets too! Hasn't DSE heard of "conservation" and eco-tourism and wildlife reserves? Obviously not! This is the first step to the atrocities of canned hunting and it should be met with a resounding NO!!

Have we not evolved as a species? Surely in the year 2008 we don't call hunting and killing a "sport". I am sure if the animals could speak our language they would call Dr. Paul Smith a pest and not the other way round!

and you don't think there is enough animal cruelty already! and no i am not a TREE HUGGER. Why don't local councils and states get behind the Industrial Hemp Industry instead for a more economical and sustainable assistance means for not only the farmers but the environment as well. Here's a plant with thousands of uses which could help establish Australia's new industry in this time of economical crisis for now and the future. How does a 'billion dollar crop' sound! Hemp fibre for textiles and clothing, hemp seed oil for health, food due to its rich Omega 3, 6 and 9, vitamins, amino acids content. If farmers want to earn a living, a 'sustainable' living then this industry can provide in so many ways. The hemp plant is a member of the cannabis family and IS NOT the marijuana plant. The hemp plant contains almost zero content of the psychoactive ingredient and is useless to smoke! Do some of your own research and start educating yourselves on what is the worlds most renewable resource in ways you cannot even imagine...no chemicals needed, less water usage, omega rich. PLANT THE SEED PLANT THE FUTURE

It is a sickening proposal, and in spite of Jennings et al rantings, there is absolutely no evidence anywhere that hunting is, or can be, a conservation benefit, or in fact contributes to population declines of socalled "pest" animals. However there are many examples, including statements by hunters, of hunters bringing into protected areas, introduced non-native wild animals to maintain hunting numbers. In Victoria the hunting lobby has obviously overtaken Government conservation policy and common sense. We do note that the comments of a few who support this silly idea all prefer to remain anonymous.

I don't believe some of the drivel I read in the comments on this site. Why is it that every time that hunting is referred to everyone is up in arms (pardon the pun) about how all of the native wildlife will become targets of this proposed scheme. In case you haven't already realised, Deer are an introduced species and it has been difficult to label them as pests given that red deer at least were a present to Australia from the monarch. I would have thought that anything that competes with native wildlife for resources would be regarded as a pest, even by conservationists. As for calling hunting a sport, that is exactly what it is. The same as cricket, horse riding or dog racing. The only difference in this case is that the people involved actively go out to seek a trophy animal. The only reason that this is frowned upon is because there are a few unique individuals who take pleasure in shooting everything they see, and this is what is widely publicised and, therefore, seen as the norm. Not correct. Most shooters and recreational hunters are only out to shoot the animal that they pursuing. Would it seem logical for a deer hunter to shoot a kangaroo whilst out stalking deer? NO. How they hell would he or she ever get close to a deer if they were firing off shots all over the place. Think yourself lucky that there are people out there who are actively removing pest species from the Australian ecosystem for sport, rather that the government using taxpayers money to pay for their removal. The way I see it, if you don't like it, go out and do something about it yourself and stop getting on here and whinging and whining about virtually non-existant animal cruelty. Why not start yourself a business where you go out and trap feral animals and then buy a nice big property where you can keep them all and feed them by hand, like a big petting zoo. They are FERAL animals. They are not native. By stopping this the environment WILL suffer, and there WILL be less wildlife. Get a grip on reality or move to California and join PETA.

without the income gained from shooting game birds , deer etc . a majority of farms in england would allow their land to be cleared of trees, swamps, hedges, just to grow crops, as we see in australia today

Sylvia, hunting is a sport. It is good healthy, enjoyable recreation and requires skills. Don't knock it till you've tried it. 99.99% (thereabouts) of hunting is spent enjoying the environment. Visiting hunters will want to experience a mixture of pristine and improved country, otherwise they may as well turn up to a feed lot and shoot "fish in a barrel".