Ep:031 The Roar: May 2026

Welcome to The Roar — your monthly update on Australian wild deer. In this episode hosts Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny discuss the New South Wales Firearms Inquiry, the Tasmanian Wild Deer Management Plan review, and practical advice for hunters and landholders. They explain how to make submissions to the inquiries, the implications for deer management and recreational hunting, and wrap up with community news including raffles, the Blond Bay hog deer ballot, and upcoming events.

In this episode of The Roar, Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny discuss recent developments in Tasmania’s firearms legislation, including the lower house passage, outstanding reclassification concerns, and the addition of more public land available for recreational deer hunting. They also examine the disallowance motion in New South Wales and its implications ahead of the 2027 election, and close with details on the 2026 Ultimate Deer Hunter Raffle and how it supports the Australian Deer Association.

In this episode of The Roar, hosts Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny discuss Victoria’s new Fishing, Hunting and Outdoor entity, its potential five‑year impact on hunting and land access, and how it could reshape the social licence for firearms through venison diplomacy. They also cover New South Wales’ phased firearm buyback and payment tiers, updates to state firearm laws including Victoria and Tasmania, AusCheck implications, and a new events email to promote member activities across the Australian Deer Association.

Join Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny on The Roar as they unpack the New South Wales Public Land Inquiry, recent research into the population impacts of recreational deer hunting, and a major leadership change in Victorian politics affecting hunting policy. Highlights include the ADA's role in the NSW hearings, an RMIT study comparing hunted and non-hunted areas (2.3 vs 8.6 deer/km²), and policy wins in Victoria such as national park access pilots and new government structures supporting hunting and outdoor recreation.

Welcome to The Roar: this episode outlines Tasmania's updates to wild deer management designed to increase harvests of female fallow deer and simplify permit arrangements, the passage of Victoria's Outdoor Recreation Bill to merge agencies into Fishing, Hunting & Outdoor Victoria and strengthen access panels, and recent Victorian firearm law proposals tightening licensing and citizenship requirements. We also spotlight the new Wild Meat video celebrating venison diplomacy and practical cooking tips, and discuss next steps for advocacy and implementation across jurisdictions.

Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny unpack Victoria’s Firearms Review response, highlighting the big outcomes — no ownership caps and no reclassification of existing firearms — and the government’s planned measures for emerging technologies, citizenship eligibility (with New Zealand exemptions), stronger penalties, and improved intelligence and data-sharing. They explain short-term impacts for hunters and licence holders, what recommendations will require more work, and what to watch next on licensing, permit fees and public engagement to protect recreational hunting.

Welcome to The Raw on the Australian Deer Podcast. In this episode hosts Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny discuss a major Victorian government budget win to reform processing of wild-shot venison, including a two-year plan to create dual-license butchers; cover AgFest in Tasmania and the launch of SHOT amid ongoing firearm law debates; and wrap up with updates on Victorian firearm reforms, local hunting stories, and Hunter Education milestones.

Hosts Paul Gray and Sean Kilkenny discuss the appointment of ADA board member Naomi Jackson to the NSW Game and Pest Board, the status of the Victorian firearms laws review and recent cabinet reshuffle, and highlight the success of the new "Day 100" YouTube release. The episode covers implications for recreational hunters, government engagement, and upcoming developments for the Australian Deer Association and outdoor recreation community.

Paul and Sean discuss major public land wins in Tasmania and Victoria that open new opportunities for recreational deer hunting, the role of volunteers like Scott Freeman, and how these successes can be replicated in other states. They review proposed Tasmanian firearm law changes including reclassification, a 1.5x buyback formula, increased vetting and citizenship requirements, plus ongoing reviews in Victoria and the wider impact and uncertainty facing the firearm industry. The episode finishes on a positive note with a recap of the Mansfield Hunting & Fishing Expo, community engagement, and a preview of new content coming in April.

In this episode of The Roar, host Paul Gray chats with Sean Kilkenny from the ADA about the opening of Snowy River and Errinundra National Parks to seasonal recreational deer hunting, updates on the Victorian firearms law review, and the launch of a new recreational hunting economic survey. They also cover the ADA membership drive and a near-sold-out Victorian Hunter Education course, plus how hunters can access maps, licenses and share their stories.