TWO members of the body charged with overseeing NSW's hunting in national parks are being investigated over claims they hunted illegally.

The Game Council's acting chief executive Greg McFarland and head of law enforcement, Andrew Mallen, are accused of hunting illegally, trespassing and the inhumane killing of a feral goat in central NSW.

Fairfax Media reports the goat was shot in the gut, which would contravene the council's own guidelines on humane animal killing.

The government has confirmed police are investigating the claims and the two officials have been temporarily stood down.

"They have been stood aside until I'm satisfied the matter has been dealt with appropriately," Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson said in a statement.

"One of the individuals in questions claims he was nowhere near the area at the time, so that should be able to be established fairly quickly."

The Game Council would fully cooperate with detectives, she said.

The pair will continue to receive full pay for the duration of the police investigation, a department spokeswoman confirmed.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said the allegations were another blow to the Game Council's credibility.

"The Game Council is apparently intended to educate hunters on safe and humane hunting practices yet these allegations seriously question whether it has ever been capable of doing so," he told AAP.

He said the body received millions in public money each year, but provided fewer than five full time inspectors to police hunting across more than two million hectares of public land open to hunting.

"Surely it is now time for the premier to stop walking hand in hand with (the Game Council) as he introduces hunting in national parks," he said.