Deer control licence

bozzy

Member
Is there such a licence that is issued by the FC to control out of season deer. The reason that I ask is that a farmer has asked me to shoot deer on his farm as they are doing a lot of crop damage, he says that he has got a licence to do this issued by the FC. I would appreciate any help on this matter as I am unaware of any such licence.
Bozzy:confused:
 
The authority you mention is through NE, and north of the border SNH.

Have a look at the NE web site, it gives all the details and will keep you right.
 
There are two ways you can shoot deer "out of season".

Firstly, you can rely on a "section 7" defence (also known as the farmers defence) under the Deer Act 1991.

This allows certain people, namely:-
(a) the occupier of the land on which the action is taken; (b)any member of the occupier’s household normally resident on the occupier’s land, acting with the written authority of the occupier;
(c)any person in the ordinary service of the occupier on the occupier’s land, acting with the written authority of the occupier; and
(d)any person having the right to take or kill deer on the land on which the action is taken or any person acting with the written authority of a person having that right.

to shoot deer out of season, where the land owner has reasonable grounds to believe that deer of the same species have caused damage and are likely to cause more damage to crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber or any other form of property on the land.

For the defence to be complete, he must also believe that there is a likelihood that further damage will occur, and that damage will be "serious", and that the actions are necessary to prevent the damage.

The only other way shooting deer out of season can legally be carried out is to apply to Natural England for an out of season licence, but these are only issued for the purpose of

"preventing the deterioration of natural heritage or to preserve public health and safety."

The power to issue such licences comes from the Section 4 of "The Regulatory Reform (Deer) (England and Wales) Order 2007"

A licence can NOT be issued for the protection of crops. Out of season culling for this purpose can ONLY be carried out relying on a S7 defence under the Deer Act 1991.

So in answer to the OP, the farmer is full of 541T! There is no such thing as an out of season licence for crop protection in England and Wales.
 
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