Deer Seasons

wildfowler.250

Well-Known Member
With several stalking pages on social media, I can't help but notice the differences in deer seasons between England/Ireland and Scotland. Is it not time we we're all singing from the same hymn sheet? As I stalk recreationally, July seems a little early for me and it would be nicer to have a longer spell into the winter.


Interested to hear your thoughts,(really just focusing on red and sika).


cheers!
 
so are most folk happy with the season starting in July? Woundnt prefer it maybe extending into November for the stags? Asking more out of curiosity than anything.
 
I think one of the problems that worries people is that as soon as you push for change, you find when it comes to the "shooting" sports, as far as any government is concerned change equals greater restictions.

David.
 
Agree that July is a little early as stags are still in velvet,but would not like to see the season extended into November for several reasons

Stags lose a lot of body weight during the rut and with winter fast approaching they need peace to try and gain enough to see them through the winter ,so much so that many estates feed their stags in winter to help achieve this .

Also as far as numbers are concerned there is already an imbalance in the sex's, the powers that be argue that red deer numbers need to be reduced , but for an effective reduction in numbers it is more hinds that need culled.

Hind numbers are the problem not stags and as such the stag season is long enough.

Hind culling takes place in the worst of weather in the short winter days and therefore extending the hind season might be beneficial in reducing hind numbers, however as the season already runs from 21st October until 15th February its hard to see how it could be extended by any meaningful amount without impinging on deer welfare.
 
Move the stag season towards the winter in Scotland as I stalk the west coast and need a blood top up when I get back having been eaten alive! !
Seriously though my thoughts are the same as bogtrotters above.
 
Cheers guys! Thought it would be a mix of "too risky to change it" and I also figured the stags do lose a lot of condition over the rut. I think I would like to maybe see the stags extended slightly but in the grand scheme of things I suppose we're talking about very little benefit and a potential can of worms. Suppose we're very lucky to have roe all year round as well. Cheers!
 
The end of Feb is the end of our deer season in Rep of Ire so ye should be greatfull to have shooting all year round.
6 months off till September ☹️[emoji24]
 
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