Compulsory testing in Scotland scrapped

David63

Well-Known Member
Compulsory testing plans scrapped for Scottish deer stalking.

4th May 2010…………….……………………………………………….immediate release

Planned compulsory testing for deer stalkers in Scotland has been scrapped after lobbying led by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and supported by other land management organisations. The move would have meant the estimated 20,000 people actively involved in deer management in Scotland having to pass a mandatory test.

This proposal had been expected to be part of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill but after successful lobbying these proposals have been shelved. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) is one of the main providers of deer stalker training in Scotland but was a principal objector to the introduction of mandatory testing.

The Government proposals could have made existing qualifications redundant. Thousands of stalkers will now be spared the cost of taking new examinations. It will also save considerable amounts of public money which would have been incurred in establishing a register for deer stalkers in Scotland. It will also prevent stalkers resident in Scotland from requiring a higher standard of testing than elsewhere in Europe.

BASC Scotland’s press and policy officer, Nicolle Upton, said: “BASC Scotland uncovered misleading guidance regarding deer stalking fatalities in the consultation document for the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill. BASC's own research showed that three fatalities referred to in the consultation document were not associated with deer stalking, deer stalkers or indeed Scotland. The guidance given to the public in the consultation was misleading and undermined the already weak evidence supporting the argument that deer stalking represents ‘a potential risk to public safety’.”

“After months of lobbying we are relieved that the Scottish Government has recognised our concerns and removed the requirement for competence testing. Scotland already has one of the best safety records in the world; attributable to the high standards adhered to by our experienced stalkers and the voluntary training taken up by newcomers. We support industry-led voluntary training and believe that, in this area, Government control is both unnecessary and would act as a disincentive for vital deer management.”

ENDS

For more information please call the BASC press office on 01244 573031 or BASC Scotland on 01350 723226.
 
David,

Thank you for posting this, I am delighted, and thanks to the BASC. amongst many others, myself included who put pen to paper (or finger to pc) and opposed this.

Lets all ensure that we give the establishment no cause to regret their decision and continue as a stalking community to adhere to and develop the highest possible standards. (Might be worth a letter of thanks to Roseanna as well!)

H.
 
Indeed,

It was a team effort and goes to show that we can all work together and make a difference!

The future is, as you correctly say, in our hands.

David
 
Indeed,

It was a team effort and goes to show that we can all work together and make a difference!

The future is, as you correctly say, in our hands.

David

Marvelous Result David
And whats more only goes to show what the weight of B.A.S.C efforts have had on the withdrawing of the proposed ammendement.
B.A.S.C have to be commended for their efforts for if it wasnt for their stance against this proposal Deer Control and the Management would have taken a turn for the worse.

Thank goodness for B.A.S.C I say
and 3 cheers to all those who have put in the work to make this happen.

Perhaps now a lot of those who thought that they did nothing or little will eat their words, as previously stated i was probably one of those, these results have made me eat humble pie somewhat.

Well Done B.A.S.C I am exceptionally gratefull
Stu
Life Member B.A.S.C
 
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bobt
i think you might of misread a few quotes
Planned compulsory testing for deer stalkers in Scotland has been scrapped after lobbying led by the UK’s largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and supported by other land management organisations.

see they were there, just never got the credit or mention they deserved
BASC did not do this alone
trust me
but atleast BASC are prepared to be on the frontline to take the critism or credit as it is dished out
so full marks to David for that
 
bobt
i think you might of misread a few quotes


see they were there, just never got the credit or mention they deserved
BASC did not do this alone
trust me
but atleast BASC are prepared to be on the frontline to take the critism or credit as it is dished out
so full marks to David for that
Now then
whos been chewing pomegranite pith:rofl:

Does it matter the main criteria here is that its been scrapped isnt it
 
Well that's got to be the biggest self praise i have ever heard from an organisation ( self praise is no praise at all ). but i am so glad it went in the deer stalkers favour after the responses from individual deers stalkers had a major impact on the decision and was the main reason that the response paper was put up on the Internet by the government ( I would say this and other Internet sites need more praise than any one ) and in the future the powers that be will need to remember we are here.. But like others i think this was a team effort and this should be remembered for the next time and i feel there will be other areas of the legislation that will get through and the combined fight must continue.
I HOPE THAT THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS AND I THANK EVER PERSON WHO MADE THE EFFORT TO RESPOND TO THE PAPER AND WHO HAS NOW MADE A DIFFERENCE. ;)
 
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BASC and everyone who submitted a response deserves a big pat on the back.

BASC to their credit did prove that Alistair McGuigans words were nothing but self serving pish. He will make a good MP one day.

well done, it shows if we stick together we can be heard

And Choc cannot spell DMQ so will be mighty relieved
 
Does it matter the main criteria here is that its been scrapped isnt it
c'mon Stu
i know you can see further than your nose than this
credit given, where credit due
that is how it should work...surely
yes the main objective has been achieved and thank goodness for that
if we are all to survive, surely we all should stand united...........
and how will that be achieved??????
 
Oh well just listen to her ! Don't count the chickens just yet there something else in the pipeline but not quite for circulation just yet.

BASC had as little or as much as everyone else on this, before they get all the praise ,there only one organization out of many who put there plea of mitigation to the consultation ,so calm down with the back slapping ,most certainly looks good, David BASC ,the press officer must be creaming him or herself over those chosen words.

Colin, BASC didn't prove anything about anyone, this was NOT put together by one person, seems like this mans name come to the fore every time something is published by the Deer Commission" WHY" he is only one of many that sit on boards appertaining to wild deer in Scotland .

This bill has not been scrapped by a long way there are plenty of other bits and pieces that have to be finalized, it is still well in its infancy wait till its completed before you all have that street party, there are far more important parts to be sorted than a training aspect , after all training is only practice ,you all do that every time you get yourself off the PC and go stalking whats hard about that .
 
I was about to call widows son an old cynic, until I re-read the posts and looked into the wording a bit more deeply.
You would have to be naive to think that the scrapping of compulsory testing meant anything other than there won’t be an annual shooting/hunting test as there is in other parts of Europe.

"The Government proposals could have made existing qualifications redundant. Thousands of stalkers will now be spared the cost of taking new examinations."

Now it has been voiced before, that Deer Management Qualification 2 isn’t a test, as it is a submission of suitable evidence to prove competency to the required standard.

It sounds very much like BASC has fought off (or have tried to) what they think will be an alternative qualification to the one that they offer, as it would obviously upset their major player status in this game, if the mandatory qualification for 20,000 people stalking deer in Scotland went to another organisation.

I think I’ll reserve judgement until I see it all in black and white. :-|
 
Well for once common sense has prevailed!!! I think its thanks to everyone, including BASC for all their efforts, and that also includes all the individuals who protested to their local SMP.

Lets hope that these idiots do not come up with another game plan :rolleyes: although as someone has already mentioned dont be suprised if they do.

I also believe that the whole system that was proposed would never ever have worked, would have been almost impossible to police, and the very fact that landowners would be told that their stalkers, some of whom were born on these estates, would not be qualified to take people out or carry on their duties which they have done for many years, would to my mind have been a complete and utter nonsense. I think may estate owners have also to be congratulated for their persiverence on this matter.

ATB

Sikamalc
 
What the bleeding hell is up with you all, anybody would think someones crapped in your pocket .

Common sense tells you that you need rifles on the ground if you your going to manage this explosion of the deer population limiting it to a chosen few who had the necessary paperwork as in this proposed ammendment was a feck up waiting to happen.

Its brilliant news all you jobes comforters want to take your hand out of your pocket and clean the shite off and put a smile on your face and get some deer on the deck, Strim back some rides and open some deer glades up so you can get at them . put your moaning into something than will be preductive by reducing deer numbers and encourage a few new lads into the game instead of whittering on about other matters in the pipeline.

We can address those issues as soon as it attempts to show its ugly head.
It dosent matter who takes the praise and gets the brownie points what does matter its been stopped in its tracks and if it wasnt for the sake of B.A.S.C and other org. this bill would have gone through and would have been a disaster in maintaining and keeping a balance of all species of wildlife let alone deer.
Those are my views on the matter anyhow
End of Rant
Stu
 
Now Stu, don't get excited and start moaning at people, everybody is very pleased at the outcome. However many organisations, websites and people, our own site and members included, are just as worthy of praise in this matter as BASC, maybe more so because we contacted our MP's, MSP's, submitted objections to the bill etc because of our personal feelings over the bill and some of it's content, not as part of our job. So yes BASC was in there fighting the bill, but you have to read the small print on their press release to find trace of others involved. All that is being pointed out that it is a good outcome to a problem with a defective bill, but did BASC do it alone? I don't think so. Did they grab the headline initiative o course they did who would not to promote their organisation.

John
 
Colin, BASC didn't prove anything about anyone, this was NOT put together by one person, seems like this mans name come to the fore every time something is published by the Deer Commission" WHY" he is only one of many that sit on boards appertaining to wild deer in Scotland .
Bob,

I attended the meetings and talked to the DCS and BASC. As I understand it it was BASC who unearthed the CRAP about fatalities from stalking and the consultation paper to parliament from DCS was Mr McG's baby. He told me so, face to face and I was there when he defended it to the hilt at DCS in Stirling.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1221/0082607.pdf (If you look on page 75 you will read the offending bits including that 40% of shots would raise welfare issues!!).

I am happy to quote facts not fiction as I was there as were others who will corroborate.

I dont want handbags at dawn here and I am not niave or a member of BASC, just giving praise when praise is due.

There will be more hurdles along the way that is why some of us chose to stick together, only time will tell if it works or not.
 
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Now Stu, don't get excited and start moaning at people, everybody is very pleased at the outcome. However many organisations, websites and people, our own site and members included, are just as worthy of praise in this matter as BASC, maybe more so because we contacted our MP's, MSP's, submitted objections to the bill etc because of our personal feelings over the bill and some of it's content, not as part of our job. So yes BASC was in there fighting the bill, but you have to read the small print on their press release to find trace of others involved. All that is being pointed out that it is a good outcome to a problem with a defective bill, but did BASC do it alone? I don't think so. Did they grab the headline initiative o course they did who would not to promote their organisation.

John


John how did you manage to train the dog in your avatar to do that:D
Is it as competent at finding deer as it is mufti
 
Now then
whos been chewing pomegranite pith:rofl:

Does it matter the main criteria here is that its been scrapped isnt it

Some people chew and swallow a lot worse than pomegranate pith mate. ;)
Like you say. A victory is a victory regardless of how it came about.

BASC didn't do it alone, but they did do the brunt of the work. I know the SGA were also heavily involved in the lobbying process, as you would expect.

Personally I would have thought it only fitting that BASC acknowledged their partners in this endeavour by name in their press release. Disappointingly this hasn't happened as per usual.
 
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