Hunting licence conditions

There is a set of legislated conditions attached to every NSW game hunting licence. These conditions set out legal and ethical obligations that you must comply with to legally carry out any hunting activity.

It is your responsibility to know, understand and comply with all conditions that apply to your licence.

Please read and become familiar with these conditions as they will be assessed in the final exam.

Part 1 — General hunting conditions

1. You must carry your licence at all times while hunting and produce it on request by a hunting Inspector or landowner.
2. You must have written permission to hunt before entering public land for hunting, produce your written permission on request by a hunting Inspector or landowner and comply with all conditions of that permission as well as any reasonable direction given by the land manager.
3. Minor hunters may only hunt under the close personal supervision of an adult hunter (at least 18 years of age) who holds the same type of licence (general or restricted); in the case of restricted categories, both minor and adult must have the same hunting method listed as a category on their licence.
   • Minor hunters must hold a Minor’s firearms permit before using firearms to hunt.
4. You must not hunt or cause, permit or assist the hunting of animals from a motor vehicle on or across a public land road; this does not include using a dog to search for animals if the dog is tied up, caged or restrained.
5. Suspended on public and private land until November 2026: Open seasons for certain deer.
6. Suspended on private land until November 2026: Prohibition of spotlights and electronic devices for hunting deer.
7. Prohibition on hunting game animals fleeing fire or smoke.

Part 2 — Special provisions for certain game

8. You must not hunt, or cause, permit or assist hunting of non-indigenous or native game birds from an aircraft, watercraft or motor vehicle; except if you are a commercial hunter or have a disability exemption granted by NSW DPI (private land only).
9. You must not hunt, or cause, permit or assist hunting or attracting non-indigenous or native game birds using any bait, lure, decoy or live animal, except game bird decoys or callers (a planted crop is not considered a bait or lure).
10. Hunting certain game at night is prohibited, except if you are a commercial hunter.

Part 2A — Special provisions for native game birds

10A. Native game bird hunters must have written permission to hunt native game birds from the landholder (who holds a valid native game bird management licence), only hunt native game birds as per the available property allocation, comply with all reasonable directions given by the landholder and be able to produce your written permission from the landholder for inspection, if requested by an Inspector or police officer.

Part 3 — Use of Dogs

1. When hunting native game birds with dogs:
   • dogs must only be used to locate, flush, point or retrieve or in a field trial conducted by an approved hunting organisation.
2. When hunting deer with dogs:
   • dogs must only be used to locate, point or flush deer
   • you must ensure that the dog does not chase the deer or any other species
   • you must not use more than 1 dog when hunting alone
   • you must not use more than 2 dogs when hunting as part of a group
3. When hunting pigs on public land with dogs
   • dogs must only be used to locate, hold and bail pigs
   • you must ensure that the dog does not chase any other species of animal
   • you must not use more than 3 dogs when hunting alone
   • you must not use more than 5 dogs when hunting as part of a group
   • you must not leave or abandon the dog on public land

Note: When hunting on public land in NSW, hunting dogs must be:

• microchipped, and
• wearing:
  • a collar with a metal tag or label with the owner’s name, address and phone number
  • a radio tracking collar or be on a lead.