As deer populations continue to grow and cause major environmental impacts across New South Wales, hunters are refusing to let wild venison go to waste.

Hunters from the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSA) commence their hunts at dawn, across land on the outskirts of Port Macquarie on the state's mid-north coast.

Port Macquarie Hastings Council said feral deer were a significant cost to the community through lost agricultural productivity, damage to the environment, and property and motor vehicle accidents.

They estimate there could be as many as 10,000 deer east of the Pacific Highway.

'Safe place' to use firearm

SSAA hunting and conservation co-ordinator Don Little said the hunts he organises are very methodical.

"We train our hunters. It's not just about getting out there for a shoot; there is a lot of respect involved," he said.

"Firearms in general have a bad wrap in the media, but we are offering a safe place to use your firearm, and [we] provide you with a true reason to hold a license.

"We get really good feedback from land holders because we give them the fruits of our labour via some meat nicely vacuum-sealed or some ribs and racks for their pets."

Don Little said relying on hunters to cull growing deer populations is not enough. ( ABC Mid North Coast: Gabrielle Lyons )

Modern hunters and gatherers

Mr Little believes there is a lot of public misconception when it comes to hunting, and said people may have forgotten where their food came from.

After returning from a morning hunt, the hunters dress the deer and share the meat around. ( Supplied: Don Little )

"No one wants pests eating their roses or killing their chooks; we treat land with respect and are offering pest management for our area," he said.

"I don't consider deer as a pest — a lot of farmers do but to me they are a food source.

"It's easy to head down to the supermarket to grab a slab of meat and not consider where it's come from, but what you don't see is venison on shelves these days."

Mr Little, who was raised on a farm in Victoria, said he was brought up with an understanding of how meat made it to his plate and insists his kids were raised the same way.

"My kids are in a unique experience where I take them out to see how the deer is processed," he said.

"Not to frighten them but so they have a better understanding of the sacrifices made to feed us.

"Plenty of the other hunters feel the same way [so] we are eradicating an introduced species and not letting anything go to waste."

Pest, game or protected species?

Across the country, deer are classified differently.

Due to increasing populations and overall environmental damage, the Invasive Species Council (ISC) is calling for New South Wales to classify the feral animal as a pest.

ISC policy officer Carol Booth said hunters were part of the problem.

Loading

"In the last five years, deer populations have increased by 60 per cent nationally," Ms Booth said.

"Unfortunately, as deer are a favoured game species for trophy hunters, populations will only continue to spread."

The Natural Resources Commission recommended deer be declared a pest animal, however Ms Booth said that instead, the State Government had relaxed hunting regulations to allow for more effective control.

"Rather than deal with the problem at hand, our government has chosen to side with the hunting lobby," she said.

In other parts of the country, such as South Australia, and internationally in New Zealand, feral deer populations are culled using aerial shooting.

Ms Booth said that strategy would not work in heavily populated areas such as a Port Macquarie.

Hunter Don Little said he was concerned that if deer were declared a pest, it may promote unregistered and illegal shooting.

"Plenty of people might confuse hunting with trophy shooting with the aim to put a head on a wall," he said.

"That's not what we are about and I worry if you called deer 'pest' it would cause a free-for-all.

"Anyone could head out for a shoot then and it wouldn't be structured. We offer a structured approach to pest management."