Victorian Hound Hunters VHH

18/06/2026

Reading the Bush — Finding a Wallow

There's a moment every hound hunter knows!

You're pushing through thick scrub, following the hounds on a long cast, and then you stop; because something pulls your eye. A dark patch of churned earth. The sharp, unmistakable musk of sambar. A wallow.
Some are tucked beneath the root ball of a fallen giant, sheltered from the rain and hidden from everything but the most careful eye. Some sit quiet beside a creek, where the deer slip in under the cover of the canopy. And some, the ones that really make you shake your head, are carved into the side of a hidden ridge where you'd never think to look in a hundred years.
Every one of them is a reminder. Sambar are where the country tells them to be, not where we expect them.
Finding a fresh wallow is one of those small victories that keeps you going back. It means the country is holding deer. It means the hounds are working ground worth hunting. And it means that moment of discovery, that genuine surprise, is still alive out there for anyone willing to walk far enough to find it.
Get out there. Read the bush. The deer are watching you look.

🐾 Victorian Hound Hunters Inc.
Preserving the tradition of scent trailing sambar deer in Victoria.

16/06/2026

BLATANT DISRESPECT IS NOT ON. 🚫

Let’s be clear: the VHH isn't here to police the bush or tell anyone what to do. We all know things happen out there, situations change, and sometimes you find yourself making difficult choices.

But what is absolutely not on is blatantly doing the wrong thing.

Lately, there’ve been complaints about people outright ignoring boundaries, driving where they shouldn't, and leaving gates wide open.
That’s not a mistake, that’s just disrespect, and it’s illegal.

Over 100 years of hard-earned trust with landholders can be completely destroyed in a single weekend by a few careless actions. When doors close because landowners lose patience, they close for all of us; hunters, campers, and fishers alike.

If you’re heading out this season, let’s just use some common sense:

Blatant trespassing is a no-go. If you have no permission and no valid reason to be there, stay out.
Caught in a bind? If an emergency or an unavoidable situation occurs, make every single effort to contact the landowner and explain. They appreciate the honesty.
Hunting the boundaries? Have a quick chat with the locals first. A little bit of respect goes a long way.
Gates: Leave them exactly how you found them.

Access to the places we love needs to be protected by all bush users, members hold themselves to a high standard, and we just ask the wider community to do the same. Look after each other, respect the locals, and protect our recreation.

📋 See someone blatantly trashing our reputation? Call it out or report it!

09/06/2026

LOOK AFTER THE BUSH. EVERY ONE OF US.

This message is for hunters, campers, trail riders, hikers — anyone who uses and loves our public and private outdoor spaces.

We all share this land. And right now, not everyone is treating it that way.

Victorian Hound Hunters Inc. has been part of this landscape for over 25 years, with a tradition spanning more than 100 years. With over 3,000 members across Australia, looking after the places we hunt, camp, and enjoy isn't just our code — it's our identity.

But we can't do it alone, and the problem goes beyond our membership.

We've seen it firsthand — rubbish left at campsites, broken gear abandoned, roadsides littered. It's lazy, it's disrespectful, and it costs everyone access to the spaces we love.

While some people are leaving their mess behind, VHH members are picking it up. We know who you are, and we're proud of every single one of you.

So here's our ask — to our members and every outdoor enthusiast:

🗑️ Take your rubbish home. Every bit of it.
👀 See rubbish? Pick it up. Leave it better than you found it.
🪑 Break something at camp? Take it home with you.
⛺ Leave your campsite cleaner than you found it.

If you drive in, drive out with everything you came with.
If you pack it in, pack it out.

The bush gives us everything. The least we can give back is respect.

📋 VHH members are bound by our Code of Conduct. We hold ourselves to this standard and we ask the wider community to do the same.

31/05/2026

This is why we do it.

Miles of bush. Rocky creek crossings. Cold mornings and hard slogs. Some of us drive an hour to get here. Some drive six. Some head up Wednesday just to secure a spot for Saturday.
The late nights. The early starts. The long walks in and the even longer walks out. The good hunts. The ones you'll talk about for years around a campfire. The mateship. The camaraderie. And of course — the hounds.
The hounds are the heartbeat of what we do. They are the workers. The athletes. The ones bred for this very moment — nose down, country ahead, doing exactly what they were put on this earth to do.
They don't clock off. They don't complain. They give everything, every single time.
And so do the people who chase them.

The VHH Committee works tirelessly behind the scenes to protect this way of life — so that moments like this one, on a rocky creek bed deep in the Victorian high country, remain ours to pass on.
This isn't just a hobby. It's a tradition. It's a community. It's who we are.

🐾 Victorian Hound Hunters Inc.
Preserving the tradition. Protecting the future.

27/05/2026

🐾 VHH HOUND ASSESSMENTS & GENERAL MEETING 🐾

Open to members AND non-members — everyone is welcome!
We're hosting our upcoming Hound Assessments and General Meeting, and we'd love to see you there.

📅 Sunday, July 5th
📍 870 Landscape Road, Tallarook
🕛 Hound Assessments — 12:00 to 3:00pm
All 5 allowable scent trailing breeds are welcome for assessment!
Please note: No veterinary services will be available on the day. All hounds must be microchipped prior to presentation to assessors.
🗣️ General Meeting — Kicks off around 3:00pm
Get the latest updates, ask your questions, and catch up with the community.

🍖 Free BBQ running all afternoon from 12pm
🥤 Drinks available
🎟️ Raffle on the day
👕 VHH Merchandise on sale
See you there!

26/05/2026

🦌 Victorian Sambar Hound Hunting: 2025 Season Highlights
Another strong season in the books for Victorian hound hunters!
The GMA's latest harvest report is out and there's plenty to be proud of.
✅ ~19,900 Sambar Deer harvested using scent-trailing hounds — sitting 24% above the long-term average
✅ Efficiency is up — 0.41 deer per hunting day per team member, the best result in three seasons and a clear sign hunters are performing at a high level
✅ 9.27 deer per active hunter for the season — up from 9.03 in 2024 and 26% above the long-term average
✅ 5,000+ endorsed licence holders — the hound hunting community continues to grow
✅ North East, Goulburn Broken and East Gippsland led the way, with Bairnsdale and Mansfield topping the charts for both harvest and hunting days
The numbers tell the story — Victorian hound hunters are putting in the work and making it count. Here's to another great season ahead! 🐕🌿

Data sourced from the GMA's 2025 Victorian Deer Harvest Report.

The 2025 deer harvest report for Victoria is now available.🦌

The report estimates 158,500 deer were harvested by recreational hunters in 2025 which is similar to the previous year and 66 per cent above the long-term average of 95,400 since 2009.

The most commonly harvested deer species was Sambar, with an estimated harvest of 118,400 or 75% of the harvest.

In 2025, there were more than 51,000 licensed recreational deer hunters in Victoria, of which 55% actively hunted. On average, active deer hunters harvested an estimated 5.6 deer over 11 days.

For a summary of the findings and to see the full report, visit https://shorturl.at/wvRPn

Thank you to all the deer hunters who participated in this research. This information helps build a stronger understanding of deer harvest trends and hunting activity in Victoria.

26/05/2026

Member Notice – Victorian Fi****ms Law Reforms

The Victorian Government has released the Rapid Review of Victoria's Fi****ms Laws (Ken Lay Report) along with its official response.

📄 Read both documents here: https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/safer-communities/tackling-high-harm-crime/rapid-review-into-victorias-firearm-laws?fbclid=IwY2xjawSCCTRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFKQkVoR0x3YURNVlRaSzhFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmnvu7Mh4PGsa3IOwB0xmqLv-Tbw7D0jT0P4HN9Ct-GH73xy3yfQvaul7wnW_aem_Vk1sKtD33HKpy2rQQ9I2Lg #:~:text=The%20Rapid%20Review%20into%20Victoria's,related%20to%20capping%20firearms%20ownership

The key takeaway for hound hunters: the Victorian Government has rejected a proposed cap on Category A and B firearm ownership.

Victorian Hound Hunters Inc. welcomes this outcome. Our committee worked extremely hard throughout this process, providing real world information and practical insights that reflected the legitimate, everyday needs of hound hunters across Victoria. That effort made a difference.

This result is also a testament to the strength of a united front — hunting and shooting organisations across the state stood together, presenting a clear and consistent message that resonated with decision makers.
When we speak with one voice, we are heard.

The Government has recognised the legitimate and lawful needs of primary producers, hunters, collectors, and sporting shooters in rejecting this baseless recommendation.

VHH will continue to review the full details of the proposed reforms and provide further updates to members in due course. We remain committed to working closely with fellow hunting and shooting organisations, maintaining open communication and a united approach as these reforms progress — because the best outcomes for our community are achieved together.

Stay tuned. Happy Hunting!

The VHH Committee.

06/05/2026

🐕 ATTENTION HOUND HUNTERS — KNOW YOUR RIGHTS ON COUNCIL REGISTRATION FEES

If your hound is registered with the Game Management Authority (GMA) and microchipped, you are entitled to a reduced annual registration fee from your local council — it's not a favour, it's state law.

Under Victoria's Domestic Animals Act, councils are required to offer discounted registration to GMA-registered hounds that are microchipped. Unfortunately, not all councils are making this easy — and some members have been paying full price without knowing they don't have to.

VHH has recently been working alongside members to push back on councils that weren't honouring this regulation. We're happy to assist any member who is having trouble getting the correct rate applied.

👉 Check the official state government page for the full list of eligible fee reductions:
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/domestic-animals-act/registration-legislation-and-permits/dog-and-cat-registration/dog-and-cat-registration-fees

If your council has knocked you back or you're unsure where you stand, reach out to us directly. Your hounds work hard — make sure you're not paying more than you should.

🦌🐾

23/04/2026

22/04/2026

https://youtu.be/-VSVAbIw-B4?si=ZSWFf7dTepTdJqiB

31 likes, 6 comments. "Australia Has the World’s Strictest Gun Laws… So Why More?"