I think the DI site is very good, particularly in terms of the deer management/census plan help it provides.
It does however seem to say that people can organise themselves into a DM group and then approach the DI.
It seems that non-DI people are doing things in your name and giving you a bad name as a result.
The current situation for intsance, allows me and my buddys to get together, and without any contact with the DI or the DI even being aware of us, decide we are forming a DM group. We can then approach landowners and say 'We are foming a DI, DMG, do you want us to look after your deer?'. Without ever actually having to formally register with the DI.
To many farmers/landowners, that would be enough and they would never check with the DI.
It's like driving around for ever on a provisional licence.
We would then be able to shoot the place out for a while, make our excuses and move on.
Do you know how many such groups are formed and never come to the attention of the DI?
Perhaps, it could be an idea for a named person to register with the DI on production of a formal census and plan, then for the group to form around them, and only then can they make formal offers to landowners under the banner of the DI.
Or perhaps one of the proposed DM group has to be the owner of part of the land in question, or have a pre-existing permission to shoot which the landowner can confirm was granted before the DI was mentioned.
Some people will try anything to get stalking.
S.