DMQ Aw Re brief

[Huntersforge]

Email today regarding a re brief of approved witnesses, now going to cost £40 to sit in on a 5 hour midweek teams meeting from what I gather. Having been an AW for 20 years I think I’ll be calling time now.
In my opinion the DSC2 went down the toilet when reduced to a single cull.

HF

 

[Firefly]

Just read mine, it’s not April 1st yet is it ?

 

[Muntjac]

To sit at my own computer in my own office for 5 hours for a 'briefing' and they want us to pay £40 towards third costs!! What bloody costs?

 

[sikamalc]

Not received anything yet.

However, I am at a stage in my stalking career after 45 years, that I am easing off the gas, so to speak. This last session of stalking over 5 days, was very successful with all clients taking deer, except one who missed, saw me cover 9 miles in one day.
If this comes about I will give it serious consideration about staying on, I have never charged for taking a candidate, only my normal charges apply which everyone pays.

 

[Muntybuck5803]

Yeah got the email yesterday.
I never charge to witness anyone so I’m considering calling time on it if it’s now going to cost me for the privilege.

 

[gpointer]

Never charged a candidate for witnessing and will not be taking the briefing £40 to listen to what don't think so.

 

[Happy stalker]

Got the email, I like many others don’t charge so why should we have to pay for the privilege, as has been said before the DSC 2 has been devalued by going to just one stalk having to be witnessed, in my opinion the standard has dropped.

 

[Turkish]

Time to call it a day and step aside for the new, keen, blood to take over.
Been an AW since 2006.
Now I'm in Norfolk, I don't seem to be called upon as much as when I was in the Home Counties, so don't think I will miss it that much.
I've got one going though now, and I think that will be the last.
I have seen DMQ pull some fast one's in the past. But, just trying to make money out of the people that help them exist, is taking the pee.

 

[Harv308]

Received the email yesterday. As has been said £40 for using our own time to listen to something that could be sent out by email. What has changed so drastically that takes 5 hours to explain?
I had a guy out for his level 2 stalk and everything submitted in early November 24. As far as I’m aware he still hasn’t received his qualification.

 

[Huntersforge]

They seem to have forgotten that without the goodwill of the AWs there is no DSC2.
Talk about biting the hand.
As has been said before I don’t charge for witnessing either.
Also £40 x however many log onto the teams meeting = a lot , can’t get where the costs are?

HF

 

[sikamalc]

I also had a candidate out with me on the 23rd. Had a few issues with the ICR on line as I had not received the up to date version. Have now, and returned. Why do people always think that IT works as it should................

Becoming an Assessor is a joke in my opinion, I've given lectures at universities, colleges, schools and institutes over my career, and have been involved with wildlife all my life, including being involved with DNA sampling with Stellenbosh University over a period of years. Yet it always seems to be a few become Assessors, some of whom are not even full time deer stalkers.

DMQ is now being overtaken by PDS, which again is not up to the greatest of standards, and run by many as just a money making scheme, in my opinion.

Time will tell I guess. As for me, I have no desire to pay DMQ anything, my time is valuable, Assessors get paid, AW's dont.

 

[cjm1066]

June 2023 they launched the Deer Management Certificate but that existed as a "news release".

I have paid the £40 as I have candidates, to date I have never charged. I do a lot of voluntary work for clubs and charities, they pay for any training I need.

 

[bottletopbill]

Sounds like many AW will leave so is the DSC2 doomed

 

[TonyC]

Unless DMQ rethink this quickly it looks as if Level 2 is doomed, I am one of many who do not charge and will not pay the "support charge" on principal.

 

[User00057]

I am actually trying to become an AW as none in my area. The problem is you need ref from two other AWs and I don’t know any.

 

[lochty]

I gave up being an AW when it moved to digital format. I had thought about re applying, but given what's already been said, I doubt if I'll bother now.

 

[willie_gunn]

I received the email.

To be honest my concern was less about the £40 and more that, being on Wednesdays and lasting 5 hours, attending the re-briefing will require taking a day off work. All my vacation days are already booked this year.

I did email DMQ to ask about whether a re-briefing session on a weekend was a possibility, and they responded straight back saying that there will be further online and face-to-face sessions over the next 2 years, so I will wait and see how those pan out.

I don't charge for witnessing, and enjoy it more than stalking, so with two Candidates lined up at the moment I will attend the re-briefing at some point.

 

[Deerkeeper2]

I received the email.

To be honest my concern was less about the £40 and more that, being on Wednesdays and lasting 5 hours, attending the re-briefing will require taking a day off work. All my vacation days are already booked this year.

I did email DMQ to ask about whether a re-briefing session on a weekend was a possibility, and they responded straight back saying that there will be further online and face-to-face sessions over the next 2 years, so I will wait and see how those pan out.

I don't charge for witnessing, and enjoy it more than stalking, so with two Candidates lined up at the moment I will attend the re-briefing at some point.

So it looks like people can simply put it off for around two years by saying that they can’t make the current dates. That sounds like something that will be popular.

Interesting because the letter that I saw suggested that people would be struck off the list if they didn’t attend; doesn’t sound quite so harsh if it can be swerved for a good while, who knows where we will be with qualifications by then.

 

[Trickyd66]

Is it doomed? Is it even necessary??
DSC1 with hygiene cert gives you a trained hunter ID..... sorry, its only the hygiene certificate that gives you trained hunter??? Corrections more than welcome if I'm wrong.

Edit..
If you work professionally as a deer stalker, a course provides a measure of competency.
Apart from that it is a piece of card and a badge.

I used to to do a lot of paddlesport, all voluntary. It got to the stage that the NGB's were only really catering for those receiving an income to such an extent with continuing CPD , updates, etc. That I lost my enjoyment of it.

Could the next step from DMQ to be re qualification every x number of years for those with DSC2 (or 1) ?

 

[mike308]

After 20. years I am no longer an accredited witness for level 2. I've told them I will not pay for this briefing and asked for my name to be removed.
Like many others I've never charged for a witnessed stalk. I've taken candidates out on my ground completely free of charge, just asking them to pay for the deer if wanted.