Bounty terms and conditions

Background

Foxes are declared an established pest animal in Victoria. They are widespread and established throughout Victoria and are beyond eradication.

Effective fox management requires an integrated approach, using all suitable management tools including poison baiting, trapping, exclusion fencing, fumigation, canid pest ejectors and appropriate animal husbandry. Hunting can play an important role in supporting an integrated management approach. Effective, long-term control of established invasive species is best achieved when everyone in the community is working together.

As of March 2025, the Bounty program will reward eligible applicants with a $14 bounty reward for each fox scalp, provided they meet the terms and conditions detailed on this page.

Eligible applicants

Persons seeking to participate in the bounty should read the terms and conditions carefully.

Fox reward

Persons who are landholders (freehold or leasehold) in, or who reside in, Victoria are eligible to submit acceptable entire fox scalps at scheduled collection centres, provided that those scalps were collected in Victoria and the supply is one made in an individual capacity, not of a commercial or business nature. For example, the supply is one from either a private recreational pursuit or hobby.

Figure 1 shows the Victorian Fox Bounty collection sites

Persons not eligible to participate

Persons or businesses who buy, trade, sell, or offer commission or accept royalties for fox scalps from any hunter anywhere in Australia, are not eligible to participate in the bounty. The bounty is to reward applicants for their hunting efforts, not for third parties to seek a profit. The terms and conditions must be read carefully when seeking to participate in the bounty. Non-Victorian residents and/or property owners are not eligible to participate in the bounty.

DEECA employees, who in their normal work duties, are involved in the control of foxes, or in the regulation or administration of the bounty program are not eligible to participate.

Proof of eligibility

When submitting acceptable entire fox scalps for bounty reward an applicant must:

• sign an application form (electronic or hard copy):
  • declaring they have met the terms and conditions of the bounty
  • declaring they are eligible for the bounty reward (see section 2 above);
  • agreeing to the terms of payment of the bounty (see section 6 below); and
  • declaring that all details provided in the application form are true and correct
• provide evidence of residency or landholding (ownership or lease) in Victoria in the form of photographic identification (Victorian Driver's Licence, Victorian Boat Licence), rates notice or lease agreement.

Acceptable conditions for entire fox scalps

• Eligible applicants must submit an entire fox scalp including both ears, the skin surrounding both eyes and the nose.
• Individual entire fox scalps can be air dried, frozen or fresh.
• Entire fox scalps submitted in batches must be able to be readily separated into individual scalps for identification and counting.
• All sharps, nails and staples must be removed
• No blocks of frozen entire fox scalps will be accepted
• No putrefying or rotting material will be accepted
• No body parts other than an entire fox scalp including both ears, the skin surrounding both eyes and the nose will be accepted
• Foxes must be taken from within Victoria.

Legal considerations for applicants

Applicants must adhere to all laws regarding wildlife, hunting, use of firearms, use of bows, use of traps and cruelty to animals, and disposal of carcasses at all times.

• The use of hounds and dogs to hunt foxes is a regulated practice. All legislation regarding the hunting of foxes must be observed by persons participating in the Victorian fox bounty. Under Section 28 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994, a person must not set or urge a dog to attack, bite, rush at or chase any person or animal except when hunting in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 (POCTA).
• Persons should also refer to the POCTA Code of Practice, applicants should also refer to the POCTA Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals in Hunting for specific rules and requirements for the use of dogs in hunting.

Where dogs are used to hunt foxes, the following Code of Practice requirements apply:

• Gun dogs may be used to point out or flush foxes.
• Dogs used for hunting must not be permitted to 'worry' (where the dog holds the prey and shakes it violently), maim or injure animals.
• Scent training hounds must not be allowed to wander unchecked or out of control of a hunter.

All persons should conduct shooting in an ethical manner that reduces the likelihood of unnecessary suffering of animals.

With appropriate permission, approval and licences, foxes can be hunted throughout Victoria.

Bounty rewards

• As of March 2025, acceptable entire fox scalps (see section 4above) will be rewarded at $14 each.
• Payment will be made within 30 days in accordance with standard Agriculture Victoria terms.
• Electronic funds transfer (EFT) is the only method of payment. Payment will not be made on the day of collection.
• Payment by cheque is no longer be available.

Collection centres

• Entire fox scalps will be collected from members of the public at specific dates and times, and from specified sites that have been scheduled as collection centres. Victorian Fox Bounty collection sites are shown in Figure 1.
• Collection centres will be open for a two-hour period according to the Victorian fox bounty collection schedule. Collections are not scheduled over major holiday periods. This does not prevent hunters from collecting acceptable entire fox scalps over these periods.
• Collections will occur every four weeks except in south-east Victoria where collections will occur every eight weeks to minimise administration costs.
• Eligible persons will be able to collect acceptable body parts for bounty reward throughout the entire year but will only be eligible to apply for bounty reward at scheduled collection centres during scheduled collection times.
• Times, dates and addresses for each scheduled collection centre are detailed in the bounty collection schedule or by contacting our Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

General conditions

• No material submitted for bounty reward will be accepted at any public counter or state government office.
• Collections will only occur at scheduled collection centres during scheduled collection times.
• Collection centres indicated in the bounty collection schedule will only accept bounty reward applications during scheduled collection times.
• Agriculture Victoria bounty collection staff reserve the right to reject material submitted for bounty reward if those staff deem that the submitted material does not meet the terms and conditions of the Victorian Fox Bounty.
• The decisions of Agriculture Victoria bounty collection staff to accept or reject entire fox scalps submitted for bounty reward are final and non-negotiable.
• Agriculture Victoria reserves the right to review and change bounty collection centres, collection schedules and collection times at any time.
• Agriculture Victoria reserves the right to investigate the origin of fox scalps submitted by the applicant if there is a reason to believe the scalps do not meet the terms and conditions outlined on this page. Subject to the findings of these investigations, Agriculture Victoria reserves the right to withhold, terminate or accept the bounty payment.
• Any violence, aggression, or inappropriate behaviour directed towards staff or other bounty participants will not be tolerated. Agriculture Victoria priorities the health, safety and wellbeing of staff and reserves the right to prohibit people demonstrating these behaviours from attending bounty collection centres and from participating in the program. Agriculture Victoria may also withhold or terminate bounty payments.
• Agriculture Victoria reserves the right to review and change any other aspect of these terms and conditions at any time.

Electronic signature

The Parties hereby consent to the execution of these terms and conditions by electronic signature in accordance with the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.

More information

For further information contact the Agriculture Victoria Customer Service Centre on 136 186.