Shoot more Deer !

[big ears]

Sorry, missed it.

Don’t worry, you’re in good company.

Ok hands up who is NOT an old fart

 

[Rasputin]

Those kind of drives can work but you need 1000’s of acres in a lump to bring in towards the waiting guns, the logistics alone are just simply not enough to make this happen in the UK.

With the fallow in Lincolnshire for example you would need 200+ beaters 50+ guns and 10,000 acres to go at to actually achieve anything.

The guns and beaters is probably the easy part who wouldn't want to shoot driven game in the UK. I think you could do that bit easy but the land ownership and acreage is a problem however if as someone else pointed out this was managed at a local level I think it could be done. I was looking on people using drone imaging to find the deer I am sure we adopted technology then you could cut the parcels of land into smaller bite size chunks.

Failing that just use some bombs from the drones haha.

 

[Ratel]

I have sons that are old farts, I now don't know how to classify myself. Perhaps "Ancient mentor" might be a nice title. Or even "Future Daisy propagator".

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

The guns and beaters is probably the easy part who wouldn't want to shoot driven game in the UK. I think you could do that bit easy but the land ownership and acreage is a problem however if as someone else pointed out this was managed at a local level I think it could be done. I was looking on people using drone imaging to find the deer I am sure we adopted technology then you could cut the parcels of land into smaller bite size chunks.

Failing that just use some bombs from the drones haha.

I’m all for killing deer, but drone technology something I disagree with, is whatever happened to actually knowing where the deer are through being on the ground.

It took me years to get a thermal, I hate it with a passion, but a very exceptional tool for helping you kill there and for that reason I poke up with it and that reason only

 

[Rasputin]

I’m all for killing deer, but drone technology something I disagree with, is whatever happened to actually knowing where the deer are through being on the ground.

It took me years to get a thermal, I hate it with a passion, but a very exceptional tool for helping you kill there and for that reason I poke up with it and that reason only

But with respect that attitude is part of the problem if as we are led to believe then traditional methods and being on the ground are currently ineffectual so if there is a serious conversation to be had about reduction in numbers then imo we should absolutely use everything at our disposal.

Personally I am on your side in that I hate to see deer being labelled as vermin and treated like some low grade commodity to be wiped out as I think they are wonderful creatures but there's an element of pragmatism in this which is they need to go so your damned if you do and damned if don't.

 

[old 30-06]

Come on guys. I find it hard to believe that we are considering the possibility of shooting them and then just leaving them there. They are a sporting animal that should have respect from us and if controlled by us then it should be done humanely and ethically. I want them to have a good life, a good death, and then be eaten.

 

[nun_hunter]

Collaborative cull days are the way forward, you can kill a lot of deer in a weekend.

But unfortunately, for a vast majority of people, they wouldn’t be able to do that because they can’t leave it alone, alone patience is the key with killing numbers.

I think the issue that leads to people out stalking all the time is an unwillingness to share. If stalkers have hundreds of acres, or smaller plots with an abundance of deer then they need to be out all the time if they're alone! If they took someone with them and split up that's twice the opportunity so half as many visits, or do organised cull weekends with multiple stalkers.

 

[baguio]

Come on guys. I find it hard to believe that we are considering the possibility of shooting them and then just leaving them there. They are a sporting animal that should have respect from us and if controlled by us then it should be done humanely and ethically. I want them to have a good life, a good death, and then be eaten.

I'm afraid that I do exactly that with muntjac under 6kgs in areas where the badgers will clear them up quickly. It happened during covid in Scotland all the time I believe. What are we supposed to do?

 

[nun_hunter]

Come on guys. I find it hard to believe that we are considering the possibility of shooting them and then just leaving them there. They are a sporting animal that should have respect from us and if controlled by us then it should be done humanely and ethically. I want them to have a good life, a good death, and then be eaten.

I agree with you that (for some of us) deer stalking is good sport and I love taking home to eat what I shoot, but it's this attitude that's allowed deer numbers to explode. They're seen as magical wild animals that everyone wants to see, until they're seeing them everyday eating their livelihood in herds.

 

[baguio]

who wouldn't want to shoot driven game in the UK.

Me! Too higher risk for my liking.

 

[baguio]

I'm afraid that I do exactly that with muntjac under 6kgs in areas where the badgers will clear them up quickly. It happened during covid in Scotland all the time I believe. What are we supposed to do?

The 'funny' thing is that a few years ago I said the same thing and got jumped on by people on here calling me all sorts for shooting youngsters and leaving them in the woods. Now it's accepted that we need to shoot them all. How the world have changed.

 

[gelert]

I feel education plays a big role in promoting venison and what is essentially the most ethical meat we can eat in Britain today.

Still to the day the public perception and idea of eating game has been thought of as “posh” and available only to the elite and wealthy.

We need the government agencies to promote the eating of venison better and the many benefits it carries in health, economics and its effect on climate change which seems to be the buzz word.

The East of England Wild Venison project were well funded, I’m sure many on here were able to get grants for cold rooms, high seats and starting up small businesses but it didn’t promote the eating of venison, only its supply into the food chain.

Deer numbers have never been higher as we all know. The British deer species total well over 1 million animals from the tops of Scotland to the bottom of England. Approximately 350,000 are shot with thousands involved in car accidents every year.

So effectively we now have a supply that far outweighs the demand. Simple economics would therefore = the need to increase the demand.

I think we need to educate the great British public to achieve this, but that starts at the top.

 

[big ears]

Perhaps one partial solution is for people who let out stalking to allow people to take the carcase home (or even insisting on it) rather than charging for the walk, the shot and then the carcase at "game dealer's rates"! If the OP is to believed game dealer's rates are zero so why the charge?

David.

Exactly. I think we are meant to shoot another 50,000 in Scotland. Where are they going to go and for how much? You can't start a wee business and dispose of that lot. The market just isn't there. Presumably the market will adjust, they will go to dog food and we will get pennies rather than pounds. More Sellers than Buyers.

The problem is an economic one, we dont live in a command economy so the Govt cant force private businesses to buy your product let alone at a guaranteed minimum price. Its a free market and unless you develop your consumer market yourself you will never have any say in their choice of purchases other than take it or leave it!
The ideal would be a cooperative system where you are supplying a business you have a financial interest in. Sadly the market is seriously skewed against new entrants and always will be.

All of this is based on the fact that people think they must be paid for shooting deer and paid a fair bit.
It was mentioned previously those times have gone. There is no money in deer management. There is not a huge untapped market out there. People do not want to eat venison, full stop.
The sooner we all realise that and treat this as a hobby rather than an economically viable business the better.
We need to go out and shoot a lot of deer if this means putting them in land fill so be it. Let’s not be woke about wasting good food as no one wants to eat it.

BE

 

[old 30-06]

There has got to be a better outcome than the current situation. Some movement on all sides. "Part time" stalkers need to step up, "professional" stalkers need to adjust to what is currently before them. All of us, we need to promote eating venison, and seek new markets if you shoot large numbers. What about wildlife parks or zoos having the carcass to feed their animals ?

 

[Sika-Hunter]

No it's not rocket science but if you have a good clairvoyant I would be happy to rent her off you.
Yes they do live in woodland on surrounding ground and only come on and off us. If you doubt what a lot of us say about this come and have a look and sit a spell, bring a rifle and show us how to figure things out.

Stalking Fallow i have found to be the hardest they never seem to follow any kind of routine and have an incredible habit of being "in the wrong place" ambushing with mobile high seats as either seen them not turn up or vandalism/theft of the seat which happened very recently. Joe public has certainly played its part with its attitude and unruly pets. I always try and make the most of opportunities when i get the chance with 3-4 out of the group, numbers have been slightly down this year but for some reason the Fallow stayed in large groups even big Bucks staying with does ,100 pair of eyes don't forgive small mistakes on approach here's to a drier season 24/25 as extraction has been tricky to say the least.

 

[big ears]

There has got to be a better outcome than the current situation. Some movement on all sides. "Part time" stalkers need to step up, "professional" stalkers need to adjust to what is currently before them. All of us, we need to promote eating venison, and seek new markets if you shoot large numbers. What about wildlife parks or zoos having the carcass to feed their animals ?

100% but don’t expect big bucks for it. You might have to give it away.

BE

 

[south-nofolk-stalker]

Come on guys. I find it hard to believe that we are considering the possibility of shooting them and then just leaving them there. They are a sporting animal that should have respect from us and if controlled by us then it should be done humanely and ethically. I want them to have a good life, a good death, and then be eaten.

Here lies the problem, it’s not. Sporting animal anymore it’s a massive problem.

 

[Dunwaters]

Sorry Heym but you're talking about stuff that you really don't have the slightest clue about.
You seriously think that driven hunts in very public woods that you can't ban the public from would be safe? Don't be silly! So we use a shotgun (which I'm not sure is legal) and then you think that shot muntjac would pass the meat inspector's inspection? Seriously? Also, who's paying for the meat inspector when the muntjac carcass has zero value?
Who would sign off the Risk assessment for a load of unknown individuals to start blatting away at ground game in woods that may have walkers in them? No estate owner or manager that I know.
Please take a deep breath and think about what you're typing. I could add a hundred more reason why you're posting horlicks but what's the point?

Driven hunts work safely in crowded countries all over Europe.
In the UK and Ireland we no longer have the culture or skill set but we could import the expertise, after all, roe were shot on pheasant drives up til the 60’s, so it is definitely doable.
You’re very quick to reject the idea of driving deer, but we already know that what we’re doing is not working, we need to do more.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Here in Germany most hunters seem to me to have around 350 Ha and most do use younger new hunters to help them out, where I stalk there is the hunter leaseholder plus 3 helpers, 1 of them is me plus 2 others both are his son in laws and are still working with families so are not so often out.

 

[big ears]

Here in Germany most hunters seem to me to have around 350 Ha and most do use younger new hunters to help them out, where I stalk there is the hunter leaseholder plus 3 helpers, 1 of them is me plus 2 others both are his son in laws and are still working with families so are not so often out.

That’s roughly 1 stalker per 350 Acres. That feels about right. Trouble is there are people (on here) bragging about their permissions ten times that and they only take a few animals. Think we all know where the problem is.