How to Start Hunting in Western Australia: Licences, Permits and Gear Guide 2026

Western Australia is the simplest state in Australia to start hunting in. If you hold a current firearms licence, you can hunt feral animals on private land with the landowner's permission — no additional hunting permit, no hunting club membership requirement, no accreditation course. That's it.

The state's vast pastoral regions, enormous feral animal populations, and some of the most diverse hunting terrain on the continent — from the tropical Kimberley to the wheat belt and the remote Nullarbor — make WA one of the genuinely underrated hunting destinations in Australia. This guide covers everything you need to legally and effectively start hunting in Western Australia in 2026.

The WA System: Beautifully Simple

Western Australia has no separate game hunting licence system. The requirements for hunting feral animals on private land are:

1. A current WA firearms licence (or current licence from any other Australian state or territory that you are visiting WA with)
2. Written permission from the landowner

That's the entire list for feral pest hunting. No permits, no fees, no organisations required.

This is both WA's greatest strength for new hunters and a potential point of confusion — because while it sounds too simple, those two requirements are real and enforced. You cannot hunt without a firearms licence, and you cannot hunt on private land without written landowner permission. Getting either of these wrong carries serious legal consequences.

Step 1: Get Your WA Firearms Licence

Firearms licensing in Western Australia is administered by WA Police Firearms Services.

Genuine reason: Unlike some eastern states where hunting club membership is the primary path, WA accepts several genuine reasons. For recreational hunting, you can use:

• Membership of an approved shooting club or hunting organisation (SSAA WA, Australian Deer Association, Game Hunters Association of Australia)
• Written permission from a rural landowner to shoot on their property — this can itself serve as the genuine reason for a Category A/B licence in WA

For most new hunters, joining the SSAA WA ($80–$120/year) is the cleanest path. It establishes your genuine reason, provides access to ranges and the hunting community, and connects you with experienced hunters and landowner networks.

Safety course: WA requires completion of a firearms safety course before a licence is issued. These are run by WA Police-approved training providers across Perth and regional WA.

Secure storage: An approved gun safe must be installed and bolted to a structural element before your licence is granted. A quality safe typically costs $350–$800.

Licence categories:

• Category A: Air rifles, rimfire rifles (.22 LR, .17 HMR, .22 WMR), shotguns — covers foxes, rabbits, feral cats, game birds
• Category B: Centrefire rifles — required for pigs, deer, goats, camels, and all larger animals
• Category C: Semi-automatic — restricted category, not standard for recreational hunting

If you plan to hunt pigs, deer, or any larger animals, apply for both Cat A and Cat B together. There is no advantage in doing the process twice.

Cost: Approximately $130–$180 for a 5-year licence depending on categories, plus the safety course.

Processing time: WA Police Firearms Services typically processes applications in 4–8 weeks.

Step 2: Get Written Landowner Permission

In WA, written landowner permission is the gateway to hunting on private property. Verbal permission carries no legal weight. Carry the written document at all times while hunting.

WA has some of the largest pastoral stations in the world — properties measured in hundreds of thousands of hectares are common in the Pilbara and Kimberley. Finding landowner access is the real challenge for WA hunters, not the licensing.

How to find access:

• SSAA WA's property register: Members get access to properties where landholders have invited hunting clubs to assist with pest control
• Direct contact with station managers: Cold calling or emailing station managers works surprisingly well in WA's pastoral country. Frame it as pest control assistance rather than asking for a favour
• Hunting property services: Companies like Inland Hunting Properties list WA properties
• Agricultural connections: If you have any rural network in WA — friends, colleagues, family — this is the most reliable path

Be realistic about distances in WA. A "nearby" property in WA terms might be 4–6 hours from Perth. Many WA hunters treat pig or goat trips as 3–5 day expeditions with overnight camping built in.

What Can You Hunt in Western Australia?

WA's feral animal list is one of the most diverse in Australia, reflecting the state's huge variety of habitats.

Feral Pest Species (Year-Round, Private Land)

• Feral pigs: Found from the Kimberley through the Pilbara and into the agricultural south-west. Concentrated around water sources in dry conditions.
• European rabbits: Widespread across southern and central WA. One of the most accessible targets for new hunters.
• Red foxes: State-wide but most huntable in the agricultural south-west and wheatbelt. Night spotlighting is the standard method.
• Feral goats: One of WA's signature hunting opportunities. The Murchison, Pilbara, and Gascoyne regions have enormous goat populations — some of the largest concentrations of feral goats anywhere on earth. Landowners with goat problems actively welcome hunters.
• Wild dogs (not including dingoes): On private land where declared as pest animals.
• Feral cats: Legal to take on private land.
• Hares: Common in agricultural areas.
• Camels: WA has substantial camel populations in the remote inland. Legal to take on private land with permission. Require appropriate heavy calibres — a .308 Win is a minimum, with .30-06 or larger preferred for clean kills.
• Feral donkeys: Large populations in the north. Heavy calibres required.
• Feral horses (brumbies): On private land where landowners are managing populations.
• Feral cattle: Remote areas of the Kimberley and Pilbara. Requires serious calibres and solid bullet construction.

Deer in Western Australia

WA has small but expanding populations of fallow deer in the South West (particularly around the Darling Ranges and Jarrahdale area) and some chital in the Kimberley region. Deer are classified as declared pests in WA — no open season restrictions or special deer permits are required. Hunt them with a valid firearms licence and landowner permission. The populations are not large enough to plan a dedicated deer expedition around, but they are a worthwhile target if you're in the right country.

Game Birds

WA does not have a formal game bird open season in the way Victoria and SA do. Feral species like pigeons and certain introduced game birds can be taken on private land under normal firearms licence and landowner permission requirements. For any native bird hunting, check with the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions — native wildlife is protected and the rules are strictly enforced.

WA-Specific Regulations to Know

No hunting permit required on private land: This distinguishes WA from SA, NSW, and Victoria. Once you have your firearms licence and landowner permission, you're legal.

Public land: Crown land in WA is not broadly open to recreational hunters the way NSW state forests are. Most WA hunting occurs on private pastoral stations. Some crown land may be accessible for pest control with specific departmental approval — contact the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development for current information.

National parks and reserves: Hunting is not permitted in WA's national parks, marine parks, or nature reserves. The Kimberley's national parks, for example, are off-limits despite having large feral pig populations in buffer zones.

Firearm transport: Firearms must be unloaded and secured when in a vehicle. Ammunition stored separately. In remote WA, police patrols are infrequent but compliance is expected.

Firearms from interstate: If you hold a current firearms licence from another Australian state, you can bring your firearms to WA for up to 3 months without a WA licence, provided you comply with WA's Firearms Act. Contact WA Police Firearms Services for current reciprocity arrangements.

Distance and communications: WA's remote hunting areas have no mobile coverage and minimal emergency services. A personal locator beacon (PLB) is essential for any trip more than 2 hours from a town. Register your PLB with AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority) and activate it if genuinely needed — false activations carry substantial fines.

Gear for Western Australian Conditions

WA's hunting covers more climate zones than any other state. The Kimberley is tropical — wet season (November to April) makes most areas inaccessible; dry season (May to October) is the hunting window. The wheatbelt is Mediterranean — hot dry summers, mild winters. The south-west has cold, wet winters and hot summers.

For Pig and Goat Hunting (WA's Most Popular Targets)

Rifle: A .308 Win or .30-06 handles both pigs and goats at all realistic WA hunting distances. The .223 Rem is viable for goats under 100 metres in light scrub but marginal on large boars. Check .308 rifles on Amazon AU Budget $900–$1,500 for rifle and scope.

Scope: A 3-9x40 handles most WA shooting scenarios. In open country (common in the Murchison and Gascoyne), a 4-12x or 4-16x variable allows you to stretch effective range on goats in open paddocks. Check rifle scopes on Amazon AU

Spotlights: Night spotlighting for pigs is the most productive method in WA pastoral country. A quality rechargeable spotlight rated at 100,000+ candlepower, or a dedicated LED hunting spotlight, is standard equipment. Check spotlights on Amazon AU Roof-mounted spotties are common for station vehicles.

Thermal monocular: For serious pig hunters, thermal dramatically improves night hunting effectiveness. You can detect pigs feeding 400+ metres away in complete darkness. In WA's open country, this is a genuine game-changer. Check thermal monoculars on Amazon AU

4WD and fuel management: WA station tracks can involve 200–500km of unsealed roads to reach productive country. A reliable 4WD with dual tanks or Jerry cans, a good compressor and spare tyres, and a basic vehicle recovery kit is essential. Do not rely on fuel availability in remote WA.

Camel hunting gear: If you're targeting camels in the remote inland, use a minimum .308 Win with premium bonded bullets. Camels are large, tough animals and poor shot placement leads to wounding. A 130-150kg bullet with controlled expansion is more appropriate than standard hunting projectiles.

For Fox and Rabbit Shooting

Rimfire setup: A .17 HMR for foxes out to 200 metres, and a .22 LR for rabbits in closer country. WA's rabbit warrens in the wheatbelt produce excellent numbers during the right conditions. Check rimfire rifles on Amazon AU

Clothing for WA conditions: Kimberley hunting requires lightweight, moisture-wicking clothing rated UPF 50+ — the dry season is beautiful but UV exposure is extreme. Wheatbelt winter mornings are cold — a merino base layer and windproof mid-layer covers the range.

Full Timeline: Licence to First WA Hunt

Week 1–2: Join SSAA WA or equivalent club. Book a firearms safety course.

Week 3–4: Complete safety course. Source and install gun safe. Submit firearms licence application.

Week 4–10: Licence processing. Research station access — contact landholders or use SSAA property networks.

Week 10–11: Receive licence. Apply for Permit to Acquire for your rifle.

Week 11–15: 28-day PTA waiting period. Arrange hunting trip logistics — fuel, camping gear, vehicle recovery kit.

Week 15+: Collect rifle, zero scope at a range, organise first trip.

Total: approximately 4 months. WA is faster than NSW (no accreditation course) and simpler than Victoria (no game licence), with the primary time constraint being firearms licence processing.

Final Checklist for WA Hunters

• ✅ WA Firearms Licence (or current interstate licence for visitors)
• ✅ Written landowner permission carried at all times
• ✅ Appropriate calibre for species targeted
• ✅ Registered PLB for remote trips
• ✅ Fuel, water, and food for the full trip plus emergency reserve
• ✅ Vehicle recovery kit for remote tracks
• ✅ First aid kit including snake bite bandages and tourniquet

Western Australia's hunting is as big as the state itself — genuinely vast, largely unexplored by hunters from the east coast, and surprisingly easy to get into once you have your licence sorted. The goat populations in the Murchison alone represent a lifetime of hunting.

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