Prep for DSC1...any resources?

Sheprador1973

Well-Known Member
Hi all. Come the autumn looking at working towards my DSC1 cert. This is to feel more confident in what I’m doing, fulfill my obligations to my mentor who quite rightly suggests I complete it and eventually free the conditions on my FAC with the FEO.

so, more than happy to study (in fact I enjoy it) but there seems to be limited resources available for the course in advance. Read up on deer quest but also heard it’s very out of date. Have read front to back the ‘deer stalking And management’ book by Lewis Potter but would really benefit from a question and answer list that I could learn (a bit like the driving test theory books).

Any advice/pointers would be most welcome. Thank you :-)
 
Everything you need to know is in the DSC1 course book, including all of the questions and answers that may crop up in the written part of the test. Easy enough to learn it without any additional resources.
Just get on and practice the shooting element, as that's your most likely stumbling block.
 
Everything you need to know is in the DSC1 course book, including all of the questions and answers that may crop up in the written part of the test. Easy enough to learn it without any additional resources.
Just get on and practice the shooting element, as that's your most likely stumbling block.

+1 the book has it all. Do all the questions, check your answers and repeat. Then do it again until you know and understand. Good luck.
 
Get a hold of the CD from Galloway Field Sports. This is an awesome learning resource and can be "ripped" and put on to you phone/MP3 player and listen to anywhere.
http://www.gallowayfieldsports.co.uk/the-shop/dsc1-q-a-audio-disc.html

The BDS Deer Stalking manual is also really informative.
https://bds.org.uk/index.php?option=com_jcart&Itemid=134&route=product/product&product_id=57

+1 for the CD's, it's the way I did it. I had them in my car and played them whenever I was on a journey
get these and you can't fail as long as you get the deer ID and the shooting test correct
 
Google DSCtraining.org - for £10 subscription for a month and £8 for subsequent months (if needed), it's excellent and particularly helpful for deer identification. Once subscribed, you can test yourself online as often as you like, it's self-correcting and makes progress easy. well worth the money.
 
I completed this only a few weeks ago and can advise the following:

1: The course book is your bible...read it cover to cover before going to the questions or the DSCtraining.org. The course book has everything you need to know and the other tools should be used to help test you knowledge.

2: DSCtraining.org is a great tool...once you've completed (1)...test yourself but make sure to reference the course book when you get things wrong and read the explanations in the tool.

3: Remember the following:
Large blokes go to Alcoholics Anonymous (Aug April)
All the girls grab a Chinese at the Next Meeting (all the girls and CWD(both sexes) Nov Mar)
Roe boys are April fOols (April Oct)

(then learn the differences for Scotland)

4: Watch it contains some great points about Deer identification

5: Be calm on the shooting test, it's not a race. If you can, go out the night before and check your Zero...you can't do it on the day...the reason being that the Deer don't stand around letting you zero your rifle before letting you shoot them.

(can't stress #1 strong enough...read the book!)

Best of luck.
 
+1 DSCtraining.org

great for deer identification which is tricky, and gives good feedback on the answers.
the book is a bit bland.

deffo use the 2 hand in hand, start learning the dates for england and scotland.

If you get you deer id good and the dates two less things to worry about.

good luck
 
Just a small variation to post #10: "The big boys are Anonymous Alcoholics". (Rather than Alcoholics Anonymous).
Why? Because "Anonymous" starts with an A and contains a U, as does August. Alcoholics starts with an A and contains an L, as does April, so you get it the right way around (August - April) for the open season.

Also, "Roe bucks are fools until Halloween / while the girls are out the boys stay in."
 
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Google DSCtraining.org - for £10 subscription for a month and £8 for subsequent months (if needed), it's excellent and particularly helpful for deer identification. Once subscribed, you can test yourself online as often as you like, it's self-correcting and makes progress easy. well worth the money.

+1. Just keep doing the multiple choice tests until you get a consistent 90%+ score. Don't forget the firearms practice as well - time on the range becoming familiar with your kit and shooting positions, unless you are already experienced.
 
Having just completed and passed mine with BASC i agree with the previous comments regarding reading the manual and the questions are at the back. I too posted on here prior to the course and the best advice i was given was to practise the particularly the kneeling/sitting and i bought a subscription with DSC Training which i found VERY useful to supplement the manual especially around the identification section.
My trainer was first class, very helpful and provided additional practical advice.

If you put a bit of effort in before the course you will be absolutely fine, good luck.
 
I noticed there was a limited amount of resources out there for "offline" studying whilst out and about, so I put my techie wheels in motion...
I'm currently trying to release the android version of a DSC1 revision app I've created, but you wouldn't believe the push back I'm getting from Google...or you might!
Would anyone be interested in testing the android version? Even if you've completed your DSC1 years ago, it's handy to brush up from time to time!
I recently had a chat with BASC after an informal demo and they seem keen to engage and improve the format going forward. (Thanks Martin!)
The iOS version is already available and, to my knowledge, has helped at least one person pass their DSC1.

Thanks in advance!
 
I noticed there was a limited amount of resources out there for "offline" studying whilst out and about, so I put my techie wheels in motion...
I'm currently trying to release the android version of a DSC1 revision app I've created, but you wouldn't believe the push back I'm getting from Google...or you might!
Would anyone be interested in testing the android version? Even if you've completed your DSC1 years ago, it's handy to brush up from time to time!
I recently had a chat with BASC after an informal demo and they seem keen to engage and improve the format going forward. (Thanks Martin!)
The iOS version is already available and, to my knowledge, has helped at least one person pass their DSC1.

Thanks in advance!
Yeah sure happy to have a go. Recently completed my dsc1.
 
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