Gun Trade News Issue 83

Defra’s recent consultation was most surprising for the speed with which it happened. Our stalking expert Al Gabriel hopes that still meant they listened to the objections to their two principal ideas

The recent Defra consultation on the management of deer in England had come as a surprise to many. Most of the shooting and deer organisations didn’t take long to release their position statements. It was an unusual consultation in that the time frame was rather short. The consultation was only open for four weeks; clearly deer are back on the government’s agenda. The consultation suggests that the government recognises some changes are necessary for the management of cervids in England.

The consultation covered many aspects of deer management, and proposals ranged as far as incentivisation and mandatory training for stalkers. Almost everyone was quick to point out that control or management of deer should be focused on female deer. Rightfully so: I’m still yet to hear about a buck/stag that can give birth! While smaller species such as muntjac and roe are known to be controlled within smaller areas at a woodland or farm level, recent research has shown that species such as fallow need to be managed over a 62-mile radius on average to be effective. It is surprising that the consultation does not seem to cover the organisation and funding of deer management groups. There is also the unsurprising focus on woodland and the ignoring of damage to pastures on farms. As soon as the consultation closed, I was excited to review some of the posts online by those in the industry, to take a temperature reading of our fraternity. Some farmers online have commented as far as £250/ha loss because of fallow grazing. The amount of damage will vary from region to region, but it is interesting to look at the responses of people online.

Positive

There are major advantages to some of the proposals. The financial incentivisation of stalkers and capital investment into the venison market could be a benefit and is definitely most welcomed by many in the industry. It is widely accepted that, as far as England is concerned, muntjac and fallow deer are the two species of concern that could benefit from change in management strategies. Chinese water deer in particular are well managed, by all accounts, and do not need additional intervention from the current management plan. The funding should go into nurturing the seed of local corporations. Let’s face it,

it’s not CWD, roe, sika or reds we are talking about in England. It’s muntjac and fallow deer. The management requirement for these two species is utterly different and needs to employ different techniques. So, what does this mean for the shooting industry? The recognition of venison as a wild and healthy source of food is a good thing. Any financial incentives that aim to bridge the gap between wild venison (wild being the operative word) and a dinner plate is certainly most welcome. The practicalities of how capital funding will work remains to be seen. In practical terms, the supply, processing, marketing and even waste management that needs to be implemented in a large geographical region is a colossal undertaking. But some of the infrastructure already exists with game dealers. Given the recent spending plans and consequent sharp U-turns of this government I’m not certain this is well thought out.

Standout

The two points that seem to stand out the most, however, are the possibility of extending the open season of male deer, and night shooting. These two points have not been well received by the stalking fraternity. And for good reason. Given the speed at which the consultation was carried out, I’m not convinced enough thought has gone into it, nor do I believe the right people were consulted first. However, there is a chance some good might come out of it. The reduction of deer to vermin status in a national way is critically wrong. Tree damage is not just a deer problem: grey squirrels have some say as well; the only difference being that deer damage saplings with minimal financial loss, whereas squirrels can damage mature trees with a heavier environmental and financial toll.

The shooting of deer at night is a particular issue for those not used to engaging in the exercise. Many people shoot deer at night already and for the most part it is safe. The dangers aside, some believe that this may facilitate an increased level of poaching, which is already an increasing problem in the countryside. From a technical standpoint, deer would be further out than foxes during shooting in most cases, and thermal imaging, though good, is not x-ray. There is a chance that features on the ground, such as rocks and obstacles, may not be observed. There is also the issue of deer welfare and follow up, but that is for another day. If the licensing and training improves, I think we will get used to it quickly. The required mandatory training is interesting, I have always been a supporter of training and accreditation—not to level that it creates a barrier or more regulation, but from the point of view that we should be self-governing, and we already are. With respect to night shooting, I’m in favour of specialised training. Certainly, not mandatory. There are no specialised night shooting courses at the moment.

The fact that the consultation is being fast-tracked suggests to me that something is afoot. I would have imagined such consultations taking a few months to get as much canvassing as possible. It is likely that the outcomes may have already been predetermined, although the change in government and policies may lead to a different outcome. Whichever way the consultation goes, it is very likely that some of the points raised in the consultation will come to the foreground. With it will come a change in the management of deer in England. The critical point must be that the incentives must go to the stalker and not just to the estates or game dealers. We must not forget that it is the part-time stalker who is a major player in England’s deer management plans, not the contract stalkers. GTN