Volunteers deliver dog control at Bollards Lagoon

Posted 24 November 2015.

Members of the Sporting Shooters Association (Conservation & Wildlife Management Branch) visited Grant and Gina Rieck at Bollards Lagoon Station earlier this year to undertake wild dog control.

Located about 150 kilometres south of Innamincka, Bollards Lagoon is an organic property which means its dog control options are largely restricted to shooting. Grant and Gina took up the opportunity after observing more dogs on their property than in previous years.

“[We] were happy to have the shooters here; [they were a] good bunch of blokes [and we] would have them back again,”said Gina.

“They [only] shot about six dogs as they were scarce at the time [but] they are probably coming back here in February when the dogs will be coming in to water more frequently.”

“Unfortunately it rained just before we arrived and all the dogs had dispersed over a wide area,” said Dennis Donovan, whose membership of the Sporting Shooters Association is motivated by a desire to protect Australian native wildlife and control introduced species.

“Very hot summer weather is preferential for shooting dogs as they like to be near water,” he said. “I will be taking a team back to Bollards in January/February 2016.”

Cordillo Downs Station also used qualified volunteer shooters from the Australian Deer Association on their property in June. As with Bollards Lagoon, Cordillo Downs had limited success with dog control but indicated that they would recommend the group to other properties.

Volunteer travel subsidy available

Natural Resources SA Arid Lands is currently providing a travel subsidy to volunteers from the Australian Deer Association and the Sporting Shooters Association (Conservation & Wildlife Management Branch) to undertake wild dog control on pastoral properties outside the Dog Fence.

There are funds to continue the program until June 2016. If your property is outside (north of) the Dog Fence, registrations to have qualified volunteer shooters visit your property can be made via the Wild Dog Management team.

News from inside (south of) the dog fence...

Have your say on local dog control efforts

Local area planning (LAP) workshops commenced in the Kingoonya district in October and are planned for the Gawler Ranges district in December/ January. Land managers are strongly encouraged to attend to have their say on wild dog control efforts in their area. This is your opportunity to review existing local area plans, determine the minimum control efforts (baiting, trapping and shooting) for your LAP group members, review storage requirements and bait supply on hand; time dog control activities; standardise bait preparation techniques; and establish reporting requirements for wild dog control inside the Dog Fence.

Meanwhile members of the North Flinders-Marree and North East Pastoral districts now have their local area plans and are reminded to review, sign and return them to the Wild Dog Management Team.

Professional dogger available to assist properties

Professional dogger Brian Gill has now assisted 22 properties with wild dog control since mid- February removing 45 wild dogs as well as 47 foxes and 62 cats. He is booked until the end of January but funds are available to June 2016. Contact the Wild Dog Management Team for details.

For more information or to access wild dog management services contact the Wild Dog Management Team - Chris Havelberg or Emma Spaeth on 8648 5300.