Fox bounty program

The South Australian fox bounty program supports primary producers by providing $10 per fox that is humanely killed on their land.

It is a way to increase productivity of the agricultural sector through enhanced fox control in drought-affected areas. The program complements existing coordinated fox control programs run by regional landscape boards, such as 1080 baiting.

The fox bounty is funded by the State Government's Drought Support Program.

Fox bounty ending soon

Fewer than 2,000 fox scalps remain to be claimed.

The program will end when all remaining funds have been spent.

Eligibility

You are eligible to claim the fox bounty if you are a South Australian livestock producer who has a property identification code (PIC).

For each property, you can claim:

  • a minimum of 10 scalps at each collection
  • a maximum of 300 scalps per year.

Farmers may enter into their own arrangements with professional and recreational shooters, but the person who claims the bounty at the collection day must be the holder of a PIC.

Claim the bounty

Contact us if you would like to make a claim. Fox scalps need to be submitted by appointment to the PIRSA office in Adelaide.

Payment will not be made on the day of collection. If your paperwork and fox scalps are in order, payment will be made within 30 days by electronic funds transfer (EFT).

To claim the bounty of $10 per fox, follow the steps below.

For the first claim

You must register as a vendor with the Government of South Australia:

  1. Complete the payment and electronic funds transfer (EFT) details on the Vendor Creation Form (PDF 743.9 KB).
  2. Submit the form at your collection appointment – this form is only needed with the first claim.

For the first and subsequent claims

Submit the following information in person at collection:

  1. Bounty Declaration Form (PDF 74.2 KB), including your PIC.
  2. A tax invoice, including your ABN, listing:
    • the number of foxes being claimed – multiple foxes can be listed on one tax invoice
    • the GST payable – where businesses are not registered for GST it must be stated on the tax invoice.

    View an example tax invoice including GST (DOCX 26.0 KB)
    View an example tax invoice if not registered for GST (DOCX 26.1 KB)

  3. Fox scalps (including fox face and ears), collected per the below humane instructions.

To aid in the management of foxes, please submit the location where your foxes were culled in the web-based reporting tool Fox Scan.

Humane hunting methods

Feral foxes must be killed humanely in line with the Animal Welfare Act 1985 (PDF)

It is an offence (maximum penalty $20,000 or imprisonment for 2 years) if a person:

  • intentionally, unreasonably or recklessly causes a fox unnecessary harm
  • causes a fox to be killed or injured by another animal (such as a hunting dog)
  • kills a fox in a manner that causes unnecessary pain
  • kills a fox by a method that does not cause death as rapidly as possible
  • ill-treats a fox in any other manner prescribed by the Act and its associated Animal Welfare Regulations 2012.

Prepare a fox scalp

The following information on how to produce an entire fox scalp is adapted from Agriculture Victoria:

  1. After confirming the animal is dead, use a sharp knife to make an incision across the back of the skull, behind the ears.
  2. Drawing the skin forward from the back of the skull, around the eyes to the tip of the nose, continue to separate the skin from the skull.
  3. The entire fox scalp must be intact and include both ears, the skin surrounding both eyes and the nose.

Diagram of cutting line on fox head to make a scalp

Individual fox scalps can be air dried, frozen or fresh.

Entire fox scalps submitted in batches must easily be separated into individual scalps for identification and counting. You will be required to count out your scalps on the day.

Following collection, your fox scalps will be marked, secured, and destroyed.

Unacceptable material

These materials will not be accepted by PIRSA:

  • blocks of frozen entire fox scalps
  • putrefying material
  • material containing insects, weevils or maggots
  • body parts other than an entire fox scalp (which includes both ears, the skin surrounding both eyes and the nose).

You need to dispose of any submitted body parts that are not accepted. For biosecurity reasons, these will not be disposed of by PIRSA.

Hygiene precaution

Foxes can carry hydatid disease and a range of parasites that are transferable to humans.

When handling foxes, take appropriate hygiene measures, such as:

  • wearing disposable gloves
  • washing hands with soap and warm water
  • using disinfectant before eating, drinking, smoking or going to the toilet
  • washing clothes after being in contact with carcasses.

More information

Learn more about the management of foxes in South Australia.

Contact

Invasive Species unit
Phone: 0418 420 195
Email: PIRSA.fox.bounty@sa.gov.au

Page last reviewed: 18 Dec 2023

 


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