I’m relatively new to stalking and a recent incident has left me pondering several questions.
Are DDM and Services Branch the same thing? Does Services Branch really exist? If so, who are they and are they governed by different rules to the rest of the deer stalking community?
Last weekend I was out walking my dog in the Pirbright area when we came across the carcass of a young Roe buck. I know that it was a buck because I checked the genetalia and when I say young, I’m guessing that it was one of this years kids because it had no antlers and was small in size, although it was in very good condition.
Whilst examining the carcass a chap appeared with a rifle over his shoulder and claimed to have just shot said animal. Whilst he proceeded to gralloch the carcass I asked him if he had seen anything wrong the animal that had led to him deciding to shoot it, thinking that it had had a bad limp or something. He replied that he had seen nothing untoward with the animal prior to taking the shot.
This is my first quandary: I was under the impression that you could not shoot an animal under the age of 6 months and only young dependant kids in the doe season and you had just shot the mother? This animal was plainly under 6 months of age.
Pressing my luck somewhat, I asked the chap if the animal had been in the company of any other animals and he said that it had been with two does, presumably its mother and sibling doe kid.
When I mentioned my concern/confusion over the age of the animal he replied that as a member of DDM on MoD land he was entitled to shoot whatever was in the cull. At this point he hoisted the carcass over his shoulder and stormed off.
Consequently, I have done some research on the internet, but I’m still not sure of my facts. What are the rules regarding shooting young animals? If my understanding is correct, are DDM (I presume that this is the fabled Defence Deer Management I keep hearing about?) allowed to operate under different rules to the rest of us?
I am a member of the BDS and I understand that DDM/Services Branch are also a part of the BDS. If this is so, then surely we are all governed by the same rules?
I am very interested to hear what the rest of you have to say. If I have got my facts wrong, then I owe an unknown gentleman an apology.
Are DDM and Services Branch the same thing? Does Services Branch really exist? If so, who are they and are they governed by different rules to the rest of the deer stalking community?
Last weekend I was out walking my dog in the Pirbright area when we came across the carcass of a young Roe buck. I know that it was a buck because I checked the genetalia and when I say young, I’m guessing that it was one of this years kids because it had no antlers and was small in size, although it was in very good condition.
Whilst examining the carcass a chap appeared with a rifle over his shoulder and claimed to have just shot said animal. Whilst he proceeded to gralloch the carcass I asked him if he had seen anything wrong the animal that had led to him deciding to shoot it, thinking that it had had a bad limp or something. He replied that he had seen nothing untoward with the animal prior to taking the shot.
This is my first quandary: I was under the impression that you could not shoot an animal under the age of 6 months and only young dependant kids in the doe season and you had just shot the mother? This animal was plainly under 6 months of age.
Pressing my luck somewhat, I asked the chap if the animal had been in the company of any other animals and he said that it had been with two does, presumably its mother and sibling doe kid.
When I mentioned my concern/confusion over the age of the animal he replied that as a member of DDM on MoD land he was entitled to shoot whatever was in the cull. At this point he hoisted the carcass over his shoulder and stormed off.
Consequently, I have done some research on the internet, but I’m still not sure of my facts. What are the rules regarding shooting young animals? If my understanding is correct, are DDM (I presume that this is the fabled Defence Deer Management I keep hearing about?) allowed to operate under different rules to the rest of us?
I am a member of the BDS and I understand that DDM/Services Branch are also a part of the BDS. If this is so, then surely we are all governed by the same rules?
I am very interested to hear what the rest of you have to say. If I have got my facts wrong, then I owe an unknown gentleman an apology.