My Permission is around 500 acres of arable and grazing, It is surrounded by an estate of around 2500 acres, there are several small woodlands and deans where roe will lie up. I know the permission and nearby ground well (around 800 acres), I have been walking it for the last 8 years, so I know where the deer will be and had got to know individual groups that I would regularly see in certain places. 2 years ago there were around 20 adult deer on the 800 acres of which my permission is a part, now there are only 4 or 5. The estate let the stalking a couple of years ago and obviously this has had an impact on numbers. I am now wondering wether I should take any deer on my permission at all as the numbers seem to be so low.
I can't blame the stalking outfit as they have a living to make and for me its a pastime, but I do wonder if they have been a little OTT. At £600 for a good buck I can see their motivation though...
What do you guys think?
Tom, I know exactly where you are coming from.
I think your best would be to get your permission to speak to the estate for you. That way you can get known to the estate first.
Now the reason for this is that the ****s that have moved in next door (and probably call themselves deer managers) will not be there very long if they have annihilated all of the roe, it just won't be commercially viable.
It's then that you can get your foot in the door and speak to the estate.
What you need to stress to them is that although it was nice to get a huge wodge of cash in the short term in the longer term it will probably take 5 years to repair the population (to create something that's got some worth). So virtually no money (as the stalking will be worthless).
Now you could offer them 1/2 or slightly more of what they were getting but it would be much longer term.
Guestimate
Current company 3 years @ £2500/yr = £7500
No or low income for 5 years
You £1500/yr @ 8 yrs = £12,000
This unfortunately is the only language that estate managers know
I worked for a company that once rented a 2500 acre estate. Turns out it had been shot to s--t and they had to drop out after 1 year. What's worse is that the previous stalker had left the estate owing £10,000
in stalking rent.
Yes, do blame the stalking outfit. Unless they were contracted to eliminate the deer, it is very poor management!! And BTW very few bucks are worth £600
AND PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO ANY
IDIOTS ON HERE WHO TELL YOU TO BLAST EVERY LIVING DEER SEE. Let your conscience dictate what you should shoot.