Deer management skills training research - scotland

Mike Cottam

Well-Known Member
Folks,

LANTRA are carrying out a qualitative and quantitative research project into skills training received, and required, by people involved in game management ( incl deer) in Scotland, together with an analysis of the ability of the training infrastructure to deliver any increase in demand.

This research is particularly relevant with the Wildlife and Natural Environment legislation progressing through the Scottish Parliament.

Attached is the questionnaire being used to collect data.

Reason for the thread is to ask if you would be prepared to complete and send back to LANTRA (email address on form).

Should you feel really engaged and know someone without email, but who would be keen to contribute, I can get LANTRA to send hard copy with pre-paid return envelope.Just send me a private email with details.


Thanks for any help.

Regards

Mike Cottam
Wild Deer Best Practice Officer
SNH
Inverness.
 

Attachments

  • WILDLIFE MGT SKILLS QUESTIONNAIRE v6(2).doc
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Mike i will fill in the form if you SNH tell me what the ajenda is. I would hazzard a guess and its for the new exam and at what level we should bring it in here in scotland it had to happen. I await your knowlagable answer mate.;)

HARRY MAC YOUR SO SYNICAL:eek:

I filled in the form as asked no hiding here i think a new hands on test would be great this one should take Manlicker about 5 years to complete LMFAO
 
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Mike i will fill in the form if you SNH tell me what the ajenda is. I would hazzard a guess and its for the new exam and at what level we should bring it in here in scotland it had to happen. I await your knowlagable answer mate.;)

HARRY MAC YOUR SO SYNICAL:eek:

I filled in the form as asked no hiding here i think a new hands on test would be great this one should take Manlicker about 5 years to complete LMFAO


Seems like everyones got an agenda David etc thee sen its every other post, Agendarites should be one of the notifiable diseases then maybe The Forestry Commision and SNH can get some piece and quiet from your constant endevours with the pen and mindless wit.:lol:
 
Stu wake up and small the coffee mate do you think for one minute LANTRA are doing this for fun do you think for one minute Mike form SNH has put this here for a laugh ;). Please remeber what you put down will get translated into thats what they wanted all we did was diliver. But you are correct i do have an Agenda mate and that is to make these quango,s fairer for every one but un like others i dont hide or lick brown bum.:lol: Things need to change but they must be clear and fair and they most of all must need to benifit some one something. Not just change for change sake.!
PS you are right enough picking on a spelling mistake. I will go and learn to spell while you study for this new test of compitence.
 
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Stu wake up and small the coffee mate do you think for one minute LANTRA are doing this for fun do you think for one minute Mike form SNH has put this here for a laugh ;). Please remeber what you put down will get translated into thats what they wanted all we did was diliver. But you are correct i do have an Agenda mate and that is to make these quango,s fairer for every one but un like others i dont hide or lick brown bum.:lol: Things need to change but they must be clear and fair and they most of all must need to benifit some one something. Not just change for change sake.!
PS you are right enough picking on a spelling mistake. I will go and learn to spell while you study for this new test of compitence.


Well if I have to it wont be for another 5 years David as I am already registered:D
 
Looking at how the questions are worded and slanted (all towards people that actually work on the land), I'd say that the days of recreational deer stalking in Scotland are very definately numbered.
The Scottish gov't are very anti shooting, in all it's forms, and don't give a toss how much revenue it generates for the Scottish economy. As far as they're concerned the only people that stalk are the hated toffs who are all English anyway.
 
Davie,
Many thanks for response, genuinely.

I understand why folks would be synical, but I am confused why it should be seen as " ....Is this Scottish stalkers being handed a knife and being asked to slit their own throats?". Are we not confident that our level of skill is as good as any other country? Personally, I believe that our voluntary testing levels (DSC 1 and 2) are far higher than anywhere else, world wide. We should be proud.

LANTRA, as the skills council for Gamekeeping & Wildlife Management sector, are responsible for National Occupational Standards (NOS). Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) gives us a skills measure, including skills based on experience, which we can compare nationally and internationally.

SNH asked LANTRA to x-referenced the Scottish, Wild Deer Best Practice with both NOS and SCQF. WDBP is guidance, not formal certified qualification. We have some 2,500 subscibers to WDBP, with many more taking a keen interest.

1,000's have taken DSC 1, and many progress to DSC 2. Young entrants to the sector generally follow one of the recognised courses at Scottish colleges. Many people, professional and recreational, have developed skills based on experience.

We do not know at what level of skill our Scottish stalking community operates. We do not know at what level of skill our Scottish stalking community wants to operate. If there is a demand for more skills training and guidance are there facilities available to deliver? The skills tick list in the questionnaire represents NOS and is designed to help answer these questions. The questionnaire will be followed up by looking at capacity v demand for training.

Davie asks if this research is designed to set a level for a new "exam" on competence, a topic raised by Scottish Parliament. Honest answer is "no", because the Scottish Parliament has asked the private deer sector (not SNH) to consider the topic and report back in 2014, so we don't know what might develop. However, it would be good to know where we all stand on skills training; what level of skills we might like to achieve; whether we have the capacity to meet any demand, and how we compare to other countries.

You will see the research is aimed at Scottish stalkers, but if you stalk in Scotland as recreational ("voluntary" on questionnaire) please complete and email to LANTRA.

Sorry Davie, bit long winded answer.

Robert, I would value your input.

Regards

Mike
 
Thank you Mike and i look forward to hereing were the standard will be set. I here not as high as the current Lev 2 but higher than Lev 1 any ideas as were the pendulem will stop?.
 
Davie,
I to have heard Scottish Gamekeepers Assoc and others express the opinion that DSC Level 1 plus would be appropriate. If, say, 18,000 people across UK had taken DSC Level 1 by 2014 it would seem silly to ignore that commitment.

As I wrote earlier, Scottish Government is asking the private deer sector to come up with proposals by 2014, so we shall see.

Mike
 
Looking at how the questions are worded and slanted (all towards people that actually work on the land), I'd say that the days of recreational deer stalking in Scotland are very definately numbered.
The Scottish gov't are very anti shooting, in all it's forms, and don't give a toss how much revenue it generates for the Scottish economy. As far as they're concerned the only people that stalk are the hated toffs who are all English anyway.
Don't know where you are coming from. SNH are doing a lot to improve the recreational stalker, Best practice is a fantastic concept. A lot of us has benifited from it. The bar is being raised but they are trying to keep the recreational stalkers up to speed. There is not the rangers to keep up with the cull requirements. I note the flack 6p got for the deer by the houses. That is common down the m8 m9 corridor. Any shot taken will have a house in range. Probably better to be closer because unseen dangers lie behind any bush. for them to let it happen they must keep up the standards. They have the professionals in house with the teaching experience led by Ronnie Rose. There is a big difference between the rec stalker on forestry and lowland beats than the highland estates and contrary to your racist remark the majority are not English but foreign or home bred. To throw unfounded accusations at them serves no purpose so maybe you will enlighten us with the facts behind your post,
Jim
 
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Well maybe David from BASC or any one from the BDS will give us an idea of what will be needed as they are making the choice..
 
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