Southern Downs Regional Council has joined forces with landowners to tackle a rapidly growing wild dog problem.
Hidden cameras have been set up around several properties to help track the dogs’ movements and record populations.
The information is now being used in a targeted aerial baiting program which has been timed to coincide with the dog breeding season.
The Southern Downs Regional Council is coordinating the program using advice from the wild dog management advisory committees.
The aerial baiting drops meat injected with the poison 1080 (sodium fluroacetate) from helicopters into rugged terrain that is largely inaccessible.
Landholders also have access to free baiting stations to collect additional meat.
One prominent sheep and wool producer in the Traprock district taking part is Peter Reimers, Pearsby, who said it was vital landholders were on the front foot with wild dogs.
“Now we have wild dogs we have to be one step ahead of them,” he said.
Mr Reimers, who runs 4000 ewes, lost 500 lambs to wild dogs in the past 12 months. He managed to trap nine dogs in that time.
Mr Reimers has carried out both aerial and ground baitings.
“Both district wild-dog coordinators Craig Magnussen and James Estwell are doing a fantastic job,” he said.
“We aerial baited in early April, and lay 200kg of ground bait a fortnight later,” Mr Reimers said.
