The Victorian Game Licence
Anyone who hunts game in Victoria needs a current Game Licence from the Game Management Authority (GMA). This includes juniors and international visitors. The licence only covers hunting in Victoria, and it must be endorsed for each type of game you hunt.
| Endorsement | Covers | Test or training needed |
|---|---|---|
| Deer (Stalking) | Deer hunting without hounds | None listed |
| Deer (Stalking & Hounds) | Also Sambar Deer with hounds | Hound Hunting Test |
| Duck | Game ducks | Waterfowl Identification Test (new hunters) and education modules |
| Stubble Quail and introduced game birds | Stubble Quail, pheasant, partridge and quail species | Education modules |
You apply, renew, sit tests and make changes online through My Game Licence (MyGL). Add a new entitlement before you hunt that species, and tell the GMA about an address change within 14 days. Short-term and long-term licences are available, and renewals open in mid-November for licences ending on 31 December.
The Waterfowl Identification Test (WIT)
The WIT checks that duck hunters can tell game from non-game waterfowl before they hunt. All new duck hunters must pass it. It is taken online through MyGL.
- 22 multiple-choice questions using video of waterfowl in flight.
- Each bird is shown for about five seconds. You choose the species and its hunting status.
- You have 15 minutes for the whole test.
- To pass, you need 85% or more (57 of 66 marks) and you must identify every non-game species correctly.
- It is in English only, and species are named by their common names. Help can be arranged in advance.
- You only pass it once. A court can order you to sit it again, for example after a conviction for shooting non-game birds.
- The education modules are free, but the WIT has a cost.
In normal years, 8 native duck species may be hunted. If you cannot positively identify a bird, do not shoot. Shooting a non-game species can lead to fines, seizure of firearms, loss of your licence and, in some cases, jail.
Gamebird education modules
All new and renewing gamebird licence applicants must complete online education modules, each with a knowledge test.
| Licence | Modules |
|---|---|
| Duck | Hunting essentials and Duck hunting basics (plus the WIT and its module for new hunters) |
| Stubble Quail and introduced game birds | Hunting essentials and Quail and introduced gamebirds |
- The pass mark is 75%, and all questions carry equal weight.
- Tests are timed, usually 15 to 20 minutes.
- There is no limit on attempts. To retake a test, re-enrol in its module.
- Hunting essentials only needs to be done once for both duck and quail.
- Since February 2025, a duck licence no longer automatically covers quail and introduced game birds. You must complete the quail module first.
The Hound Hunting Test
To hunt Sambar Deer with hounds, you must pass the Hound Hunting Test (HHT) before you apply for a licence that allows hounds. It has 22 multiple-choice questions, and you need 17 correct (75%). You must be at least 10 to sit it. It covers licensing, when you can hunt, legal methods and ethical responsibilities.
Juniors aged 12 to 17 and international visitors may hunt with hounds without the test, but only under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid Game Licence and has passed the HHT.
Juniors and visitors
- Children under 12 cannot use a firearm or hunt or take game.
- Junior Game Licences (ages 12 to 17) are free, but you must still apply through MyGL.
- A Provisional Game Licence lets a junior hunt duck or Sambar Deer with hounds before passing the test, under direct supervision of an adult licensed for that species. It lasts one calendar year and is issued only once per entitlement.
- Under-18s licensed to use a firearm must do so under the supervision of a fully licensed adult.
- A Non-resident of Australia Game Licence lasts up to 14 days. Holders skip the WIT and HHT but must be directly supervised by a licensed adult.
- A free Game Bird Farm Hunting Licence lasts 7 days and covers only introduced game birds on a licensed game bird farm.
Rules and ethics in the field
- Recreational hunting is not allowed at night: from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.
- Hog Deer have a bag limit of one stag and one hind per hunter each season. Other deer have no bag limit.
- There is no closed season for deer, except for Hog Deer and for Sambar Deer hunted with hounds.
- Check the season arrangements and wetland closures before every duck season, because species, limits and open wetlands can change.
Know what is behind your target before you shoot.
- Safe: a high bank behind the animal stops the shot.
- Unsafe: the animal is on a ridge against the sky.