Land Management Services

This service is based on the many years of experience that HLM staff possess in all aspects of vertebrate pest management including:

• Development of management plans meeting all legislative requirements to control declared and other pest species;
• Rabbit and hare control using Pindone Baiting, shooting, fumigation and habitat destruction techniques;
• Fox and wild dog control using 1080 baiting, den fumigation, soft jaw trapping and shooting;
• Feral cat control using cage traps, soft jaw trapping and shooting;
• Wild pig control using cage trapping, 1080 baiting and shooting;
• Wild goat/deer/horse control using yard trapping and shooting;
• Kangaroo management services using shooting techniques (NPWS and NSW Firearms Safety Council Accredited to fill tags) – further information on kangaroo management options can be found below;
• Feral bird control programs such as Myna Birds using RSPCA approved cage traps and gassing techniques along with shooting for specific problem birds;
• Monitoring programs including sand pad monitoring, dyed scats, spotlighting and aerial surveying;
• GIS Mapping services which are used during vertebrate pest control to map areas of sign, property infrastructure, potential trapping and baiting sites;
• All services involving firearms use (trapping and shooting) are provided with full insurance and accreditation;
• Humane destruction of injured animals on an on-call basis also available for clients such as mine sites.

HLM has well maintained and modern equipment with all works undertaken in consultation with Local Land Services (LLS) and NPWS where applicable. Strict safety procedures are in place for all firearms use.

Spring Foxes Cub Dispersal

Foxes breed once a year in winter with breeding females usually having around three to four cubs. Every summer, young foxes disperse to find new territories and may move up to 30km away from their birth dens.

This will see an increase in sightings and road toll as these new foxes are not as “human aware” as older foxes. You will see young foxes around bins and buildings where you wouldn’t normally see foxes.

It is important to continue with 1080 baiting and other control programs in offset and native habitat areas to ensure any foxes which find this area “competition free” are controlled. If control programs are reduced over summer these dispersing juveniles may take up residence and threaten biodiversity values of these areas through predation etc.

Rabbit Warren Smoke Identification Unit

Trials conducted by the NSW DPI have shown that the use of a smoke identification unit (as pictured above) when fumigating rabbit warrens with tablets increases the overall control and effectiveness of the program by over 90%.

The smoke identification unit fills the warren with smoke, and as the smoke vents out of all openings allows identification of all entrances to the warren – see below image. Once these have been identified and blocked, fumigation works can commence and reduces the chance of fumigation gases from escaping the warren, increasing gas concentration within the warren and overall effectiveness.

Hunter Land Management’s pest officers are trained in the use of this specialised smoker and are able to provide a quote for any required rabbit control works.

Kangaroo Management

Historically HLM have conducted kangaroo cull programs to reduce numbers on numerous sites throughout the Hunter Valley, at full expense to the client. However HLM now have the accreditation to professionally harvest kangaroos to be sold to chiller operations for human consumption or pet food in place of the current “shoot and lie” approach. HLM endeavours to carry out Commercial Kangaroo Shooting so that the animals shot do not go to waste rotting in the paddock, and the meat can be sold to reduce the cost of this control.

In recent times the NSW government has changed the boundaries of the NSW Kangaroo Management Zones for Commercial and Non Commercial Shooting. The main point of interest is that the Lower Hunter Valley which falls under the Central Tablelands North, Zone 48, which has had its boundaries extended to include the Singleton LGA. This means that commercial kangaroo harvesting can occur in the Lower Hunter Valley, where previously it was in the non-commercial zone.

Kangaroo Control Options
HLM offer two options for the control and cull of kangaroos. The Non Commercial Option and the Commercial Option.

• Non-Commercial Option : The kangaroo cull occurs on approval of the client and kangaroos are shot and tagged and left where they lay.
• Commercial Option : HLM conducts the kangaroo cull, but the kangaroos are harvested and sold to chillers. Commercially harvesting kangaroos is a slower process than roo culling with only larger animals, mainly bucks being targeted. All Kangaroos have to be transported to the chiller after the shoot.

HLM Commercial Proposal
Whilst the non-commercial option is still available, HLM proposes to conduct future kangaroo shooting programs under the Commercial Harvesting system where possible, meaning that all kangaroos are shot, processed and sold to the chillers. Essentially the client will receive the same service as a non-commercial kangaroo cull but the meat would be put to use instead of rotting away in the paddock and providing food for feral species such as foxes and wild dogs.

Why HLM and not another Professional Roo Shooter?

HLM has been conducting Non Commercial Shooting for many years on and off mine sites, airports, army barracks and other industrial and rural locations within the Hunter Valley and NSW. HLM has implemented programs that have culled a total of over 10,000 kangaroos in the past 5 years. This has been done without a single safety incident. This experience together with our specialised vehicles and equipment enables us to get the job done right. HLM place a strong focus on safety when undertaking any works with firearms and implement Best Practice techniques in terms of the Humane Destruction of Animals. HLM has all the necessary insurance coverage to conduct the works.