UK Government Launches UK Deer Management Strategy Consultation
- Thread starter wytonpjs
- Start date
You're referring to the Ground Game Act, which gives occupiers of land the inalienable right to control rabbits, even if the land and / or the shooting rights are owned by someone else.
There is a similar provision in the deer act.
There is also an obligation to control rabbits, but I forget what law that comes under specifically.
I see. So it's not really that you haven't got time to add value to your carcasses. It's more that you don't want to, and are therefore happy to take whatever pittance is offered because you're only doing it for sport / hobby, and not as a means of generating income. The value of venison is a total irrelevance to you.
But some people do make money out of shooting deer, either by taking clients or by retailing venison, and you shouldn't belittle their efforts.
Doing that is a grey area. Donating deer is no different from any other way of supplying it into the food chain. It is NOT the same as using the Hunter exemption to gift it to family and friends. I.e. actual friends, not random strangers.
I don't know of any food bank set up to accept primary produce (in the fur) then butcher it and pack it as a registered food business operator with HACCP etc. TBH if they could do that, I'd suggest they sold it at a premium to local retailers, then put the money into buying lots more ordinary food for their bank.
Likewise there are rules about what can be supplied to pet food manufacturers:
To make raw pet food
You can only use:
slaughterhouse material that was passed fit for humans to eat but is unwanted for commercial reasons
fish by-products from factories and ships that prepare fish for human consumption
game that was passed fit for humans to eat but rejected for commercial reasons, not due to disease
material from animals that passed an ante-mortem test, that is unfit for humans to eat, for example liver with fluke
There has been the notorious case when a raw petfood manufacturer was taking in diseased carcases (TB) that the sellers were getting rid of because they knew perfectly well that no AGHE would accept them That didn't end well.
I suppose you could give it to a local hunt kennel that is set up to take fallen stock.
Quality of heads, to form an income stream from paying stalkers, is not the issue. Besides, a sustainable deer population will become a healthier deer population.
The consultation hints at this:
Close seasons were developed to protect male deer during their period of antler growth for trophy hunting
purposes. This will still be possible where this is the objective of the land manager.
The consultation is clear. Only Roe and Red are native. Everything else is non native, some of which, Muntjac in particular are invasive non-native, highly damaging, and need knocking back. Likewise any expansion of Sika is seen as undesirable.
Back in the day rabbit clearance societies existed cymag gas provided Among other things and at one point for shooting pigeons cartridges available for crop protection. Also could apply to British rail for permit to ferret along line sides on sundays when no trains ran.
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sikamalc
Administrator
Ok lets not start arguing about who does what on their own ground, its not needed.
This whole question about deer numbers is not going to be resolved over night. And if the idiots in Whitehall/Government think it can be, well all I can say is their smoking something.
We have just taken on a further area in West Sussex, which the large estate I manage, has bought. The area is badly over run with Fallow. The local stalker is not doing much, if anything of a job, and asked if he could still stalk our area, in exchange for using his high seats.
90% were laying on the floor, where they had rotted. Two others are still up, and have grown into the tree. I doubt he has checked those seats for years, and going by the amount of Fallow coming onto the ground its not been touched. He is now making noises about us trying to control a further area nearby, even though I invited him to discuss management.
This is just one scenario, plus someone mentioned hammering deer and their becoming nocturnal. Well that's one of the underlying problems with Fallow, in my opinion. Keep coming back every day to the same area and they soon wise up and become even harder to manage. The larger your area the better it is, you can visit different areas over the winter and keep them on the move and not over hit the same area all the time.
Muntjac are not going far, Fallow, well they are so nomadic its a job to keep on top of them. Best hit them really hard in November, because by December they have long nights and shorter days, and most will be moving and feeding at night.
What ever the powers that be decide, it is bound to upset some, and not others. But we need to take all of this back to grass roots and start by sorting out the fiasco with firearms renewals etc. I am not in favour of too much interference from any government or offices, as usually any new rules are usually made up by someone with no field experience, and little idea of how the real world works.
This whole question about deer numbers is not going to be resolved over night. And if the idiots in Whitehall/Government think it can be, well all I can say is their smoking something.
We have just taken on a further area in West Sussex, which the large estate I manage, has bought. The area is badly over run with Fallow. The local stalker is not doing much, if anything of a job, and asked if he could still stalk our area, in exchange for using his high seats.
90% were laying on the floor, where they had rotted. Two others are still up, and have grown into the tree. I doubt he has checked those seats for years, and going by the amount of Fallow coming onto the ground its not been touched. He is now making noises about us trying to control a further area nearby, even though I invited him to discuss management.
This is just one scenario, plus someone mentioned hammering deer and their becoming nocturnal. Well that's one of the underlying problems with Fallow, in my opinion. Keep coming back every day to the same area and they soon wise up and become even harder to manage. The larger your area the better it is, you can visit different areas over the winter and keep them on the move and not over hit the same area all the time.
Muntjac are not going far, Fallow, well they are so nomadic its a job to keep on top of them. Best hit them really hard in November, because by December they have long nights and shorter days, and most will be moving and feeding at night.
What ever the powers that be decide, it is bound to upset some, and not others. But we need to take all of this back to grass roots and start by sorting out the fiasco with firearms renewals etc. I am not in favour of too much interference from any government or offices, as usually any new rules are usually made up by someone with no field experience, and little idea of how the real world works.
sikamalc
Administrator
Well good luck with Sika. The FC have waged war on this species for donkeys years. Eradication is nigh on impossible, they have never succeeded, and never will. The more pressure they are put under the harder they are to cull. I have been stalking the same area north of Inverness for 37 years. Sika were hardly seen near Rogart or Brora some 35 years ago. Now they are everywhere. FC has not managed to stop the spread, never will, in my opinion.
Old Pultney
Well-Known Member
Isn’t there some charitable initiative already to use surplus game from shoots to make meals for food banks etc in the shooting season?
I agree with a previous speaker that muntjac need humanely ‘hammering ‘, as I’m sure sika do too.
I get alarmed by government consultations etc as they never feel that they are a genuine consultation and feel that shooting, in whatever form, has had its day.
For what it’s worth I’ve completed the consultation / questionnaire - it was but the work of a moment . So at least I’ll feel I’ve done something.
In the meantime I’ll quietly do my bit towards muntjac culling, lead free and fully trained of course.
I agree with a previous speaker that muntjac need humanely ‘hammering ‘, as I’m sure sika do too.
I get alarmed by government consultations etc as they never feel that they are a genuine consultation and feel that shooting, in whatever form, has had its day.
For what it’s worth I’ve completed the consultation / questionnaire - it was but the work of a moment . So at least I’ll feel I’ve done something.
In the meantime I’ll quietly do my bit towards muntjac culling, lead free and fully trained of course.
What's your view on working under Section 7 for the situation you describe?
I'll go with this, as well as some of the other stuff.
Would totally agree regarding government offices, with the exception of the old Scottish Deer commission who recruited from grass roots and experts in their field without doubt.
Nail on the head
So what's different down here then?
powers are still there, just not used ,( well they are occasionally for Ragwort).
NatureScot also has the power to undertake compulsory deer culls
Leec6.5
Well-Known Member
The only species that need a tickling are roe, the rest need thrashing!
The Country Food Trust The Country Food Trust Charity is I think a worthy organisation.
They operate on a very large scale, over 500,000 meals as of August 2021. They prepare game meat meals in retort pouches with a one year shelf life, no refrigeration or freezing necessary.. The meat (pheasant and venison) comes from AGHEs. Where it is scanned for lead shot. The venison in their food pouches is supplied having been shot with lead-free bullets. The meals are prepared for them by a specialist manufacturer.
These are distributed to charities, food banks etc. for "people in need". Over 1,900 charities so far. They also supply large quantities of frozen game meat to charities who have the facilities to cook it themselves.
Their recipe book is really good too, download a copy for yourself. They used to sell it as a physical book, but that has been sold out for a while now, drat. I was going to buy some for Christmas presents.
The charity is funded by individuals, companies, shoots, trusts and other charitable organisations.
StephenToast
Well-Known Member
Feels risky. Even if you could apply for a licence that would be better.
At least you would have proved your case before you take action.
If they didn't extend the season on females it would be good if they made it easier/less risky to use section 7
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