Having read WATOK and the EU Directive behind it, common sense would suggest park deer are excempt from WATOK. They are not listed specifically, but are clearly not farmed. They are wild game that are fenced in.
WATOK liscensing
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2130martin
Well-Known Member
That is the opinion of our local APHA.
2130martin
Well-Known Member
You are quite right in that definition and I understand there are other defining factors in defining Park from Farmed.
pitiliedon
Well-Known Member
I despair of the red tape that is generated, possibly initially with good intentions to address a loop hole or some particular circumstance and then miss-interpreted and miss- applied . I keep farmed , park and wild deer and basically the difference between the definitions of park and wild depend largely on what side of the fence they are on . If they jump one way then they are wild deer on ground i have shooting rights over if they go the other way they become the neighbours wild deer. One of the key definitions of park deer verses wild deer is that they are free to exhibit natural behavour with in the confines of an enclosure. There is a duty of care but it is less than that of a farmed deer which is dependent on the farmer for basic needs and who controls breeding opportunities and timings.
I think these type of regs only impact on us if we allow them to.
I think these type of regs only impact on us if we allow them to.
2130martin
Well-Known Member
What you have said sums up our whole problem with being part of the EU,there is nothing wrong with the EU,its our establishment that interpret the guidance and adopt it as legislation.
For those still interested /awake, here's what I was given today by a contact at APHA:
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I have now received final confirmation that there have been no changes on the decision of considering park deer as wild animals, and therefore the hunting or culling of these animals are exempt from the requirement of a WATOK licence.
Some animals, such as deer, may live in an enclosure such as a large estate or park. If they are hunted, the fact that they are enclosed does not prevent them from being classified as wild game. Game animals with sufficient grazing to enable them to live throughout the year without supplemental feeding are also considered to be wild. All these animals must be killed by hunting to be eligible for human consumption. Wild game animals killed in other ways, e.g. by road traffic, cannot be supplied for human consumption.
So to try and sum up, if deer are enclosed and routinely fed to "finish" the animals then they would be farmed. The killing of these animals for human consumption would require a Certificate of Competence.
However if enclosed or free to roam and only fed when it is required for welfare purposes - usually during the winter months but not exclusively so - then they can be considered wild if hunted and no CoC or WATOK licence is required.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So it would seem that the NGO mag got things slightly sideways.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have now received final confirmation that there have been no changes on the decision of considering park deer as wild animals, and therefore the hunting or culling of these animals are exempt from the requirement of a WATOK licence.
Some animals, such as deer, may live in an enclosure such as a large estate or park. If they are hunted, the fact that they are enclosed does not prevent them from being classified as wild game. Game animals with sufficient grazing to enable them to live throughout the year without supplemental feeding are also considered to be wild. All these animals must be killed by hunting to be eligible for human consumption. Wild game animals killed in other ways, e.g. by road traffic, cannot be supplied for human consumption.
So to try and sum up, if deer are enclosed and routinely fed to "finish" the animals then they would be farmed. The killing of these animals for human consumption would require a Certificate of Competence.
However if enclosed or free to roam and only fed when it is required for welfare purposes - usually during the winter months but not exclusively so - then they can be considered wild if hunted and no CoC or WATOK licence is required.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So it would seem that the NGO mag got things slightly sideways.
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