A report to the New South Wales Government says feral deer should be reclassified from a game animal to a pest animal so more recreational shooters can help with their control.

The Natural Resources Commission report claims feral deer populations have increased by 30 per cent over the past decade, and have the potential to occupy the entire state.

Commission executive director Bryce Wilde said licensing restrictions on hunting feral deer were too restrictive.

Deer shooters in NSW are currently required to hold a general licence (G-licence) to hunt on private property, as well as requiring the permission of the land owner.

However, Mr Wilde said the G-licence was too restrictive for shooting to be an effective deer management measure.

"Those licences restrict hunters from shooting at night, using a spotlight, using a lure or decoy, or shooting from a motor vehicle," he said.

"Those restrictions don't apply to shooting feral pigs or dogs.

"There are so many constraints upon recreational hunting of deer that it really is tying up citizens from actively controlling their numbers."

The commission is recommending deer be reclassified as a pest animal, which can be shot by anyone with firearm licence and who has the permission of the landowner, and does not requite the shooter to have a G-licence.

Mr Bryce said this would open up the opportunity for farmers to invite a broader range of shooters onto their properties.

He said opinion on a reclassification was divided among the recreational shooters' community.

"The Sporting Shooters Association [of NSW] is supportive of declaring deer as a pest animal, however there are other hunting groups and recreational groups who call for the status quo to be maintained," Mr Bryce said.

Private landowners in NSW are permitted to control deer by shooting. ( Supplied: TAMS )

Increase in numbers noticeable on farming properties

Multiple reports from farmers in south-east NSW confirm the increase in feral deer and damage to crops, pastures and native plants.

Tobias Keonig, who runs an Angus cattle and intensive horticulture property on the Monaro, said deer had never been a problem in the past, but numbers were now greater and were causing damage and crop losses.

"In normal years we have probably two little groups of deer coming through the farm, which doesn't worry us so much," he said.

"This year ... we've had a mob of 30 deer digging up the potatoes."

Mr Koenig estimates he has lost 20 per cent of his crop, as well as now having greater difficulty harvesting the remaining crop because of the soil compaction caused by the herd.

"I think deer by now are part of the ecology, but if something is out of balance we have to take action," he said.

Calls for a wider range of control methods

A caller to ABC South East NSW radio, Ben, a farmer from Jindabyne, said he shot up to 400 deer a year.

He said he had been "battling feral deer" for nearly 20 years, and the numbers were definitely increasing.

But he did not think shooting on its own could deal with the problem.

"You can go out spotlighting and you can see as many as 100 in a paddock. You might only be able to get five or 10 out of them if you're lucky," he said.

He also does not believe that making it easier for more recreational shooters is a good idea.

"I don't think it's the answer to the problem. It makes it harder for us because it takes up time to show people around and control where they're going and what they're doing," he said.

The farmer said poisoned bait, trapping, and fertility control also needed to be used to control deer numbers.