SNH General Authorisation

kuwinda

Well-Known Member
The current general authorisation runs out on 31st March - does anyone know if another will be in place come 1st April?

I do know that there was a consultation going on until (I think?) 31st January re the suitability (or otherwise) of the dates on the authorisation - I have seen no outcome from this - and I have looked. Personally I think shooting females from 1st September is ludicrous - how can any calf/kid hope to survive when it will still be on milk?
 
Shoot the dependants first!

You can only shoot them if you can see them - all of my culling is in forest of some kind - in that kind of situation its usually a case of shoot now or just don't shoot. Until the dependants can survive (or at least have some chance of surviving) - I just don't.

Anyway that wasn't the question - nobody any the wiser?
 
yes the GA runs over as is unless specified changes are to be put in place providing your F&C status remains valid to act under it. The culling of females from sep 1st is not just a case of see it shoot it, you would be an authorised person following best practice. You would be expected as a controller (not a recreation stalker) to establish if present and shoot followers first. If you can't do that then you would not just shoot. Controllers are still bound by legislation intended to prevent suffering to animals through our actions. If the kids scatter and were not shot you have failed in your basic moral and legal responsibilities.

Having said that bucks would always be in deep s4it when seen...
 
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The critical part for me was anyway not the shooting of females but red stags - we commonly get an influx of young marauders in April when they get kicked out by the hinds.

In any event the GA does not require F&C status - read it here - http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A881933.pdf - see "5" on P3. I am not in fact on the register though could be as I have DSC2 - I just don't feel happy about shooting any females out of season and have no need of using a light.

I take your point about shooting the followers first and agree that as "best practice" that is what we should always strive to achieve - but as you doubtless know if you try this in the woods you will only ever shoot kids - unless you are in the open with a moderator the doe will clear out and keep going. In truth I would reckon without looking through my sheets that about 75-80% of the roe I have shot since mid-October were kids anyway.

Anyway it looks like I will need to phone SNH next week - if I get an answer I will keep folks posted.
 
Yes you don't need F&C but you have authorisation whether as the land owner or someone authorised by them. I don't know what your question is?!
 
Wasn't a question it was an answer - you said -"...providing your F&C status remains valid to act under it."

In any event the landowner cannot give authorisation to shoot out of season - unless either the GA or a site specific SNH Authorisation is in place - and that includes shooting red stags in April.
 
no your wrong sorry, you obviously have authority to shoot over someones land if you shoot there. You're going on about shooting out of season under GA but you can't just pop deer out of season because you feel like it, you have to have a necessity ie crop damage. I never said the land owner gives you oos authorisation but you can act on their behalf
 
I have written authority to shoot certain specified areas of forest from the landowner. That authority comes with a written instruction to shoot all deer when seen within the limits of the GA - which is appended in full to my authority. You presume too much - the estate owners have very good reason for requiring a reduction to damage to, particularly, restocks and I come under some pressure to greatly reduce the number of deer. This has happened, we have shot several hundred over 3 years or so - it never seems to be enough.

So - I am not sure what I am "wrong" about?
 
I have written authority to shoot certain specified areas of forest from the landowner. That authority comes with a written instruction to shoot all deer when seen within the limits of the GA - which is appended in full to my authority. You presume too much - the estate owners have very good reason for requiring a reduction to damage to, particularly, restocks and I come under some pressure to greatly reduce the number of deer. This has happened, we have shot several hundred over 3 years or so - it never seems to be enough.

So - I am not sure what I am "wrong" about?

shoot more or get a fence up.
 
shoot more or get a fence up.

"Shoot more" - having shot 450 in two years and basically reduced the population to a scrap of its former self to the point where the natural regen is taking over I don't think we have been dilatory - you do not appear to have a lot of experience of dealing with foresters - one deer is one too many!

"..get a fence up" - yes, you see a lot of that :eek:. Get real.
 
"Shoot more" - having shot 450 in two years and basically reduced the population to a scrap of its former self to the point where the natural regen is taking over I don't think we have been dilatory - you do not appear to have a lot of experience of dealing with foresters - one deer is one too many!

"..get a fence up" - yes, you see a lot of that :eek:. Get real.

Get real I think you need to open your eyes :cuckoo:

So your tree damage is down to what %
 
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Get real I think you need to open your eyes :cuckoo:

So your tree damage is down to what %

Stupid remark - any damage is unacceptable to any forester.

The estate has just spent thousands of pounds beating up 20 odd acres of restock, mostly due to weevil damage - but the inference is always that some of the damage was due to deer - once the (tiny) seedlings are gone it can be difficult to tell - you're saying the retort should be "oh well the browse damage is only 5% - that's OK" :eek:.
 
Stupid remark - any damage is unacceptable to any forester.

The estate has just spent thousands of pounds beating up 20 odd acres of restock, mostly due to weevil damage - but the inference is always that some of the damage was due to deer - once the (tiny) seedlings are gone it can be difficult to tell - you're saying the retort should be "oh well the browse damage is only 5% - that's OK" :eek:.

You've lost me 20 acres due to weevil damage what is that to do with deer damage. And the need for your opening post .
20 acres put a fence round it no deer!
 
You really either don't live in the real world or have no practical knowledge of how commercial forestry works - you think spending around £10,000+ (no grants for restock fencing) fencing off one restocked compartment from the rest of the 5,000 acres of, mostly, high forest is A GOOD IDEA:cuckoo:
 
You really either don't live in the real world or have no practical knowledge of how commercial forestry works - you think spending around £10,000+ (no grants for restock fencing) fencing off one restocked compartment from the rest of the 5,000 acres of, mostly, high forest is A GOOD IDEA:cuckoo:
I was thinking that of you.
how much was the total cost of the replant.
ok get it now you are at the wind up!
 
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In a nut shell mark and that's that

I think your slip is showing - the absolute absense of any hands-on knowledge of how commercial forestry actually works is astonishing.

Any grant entitlement on deer fencing ended some time ago - I don't remember when - 3 - 5 years ago more? Any fencing that is put up now is done by those with money to burn - maybe like you - and not with a view to offsetting the potential damage caused by deer against the capital cost of the fencing. How much new deer fencing do you see? The grant entitlement on restocking is I understand ending this year - so there has been a "run" on stock - so we are down to the dross - very vulnerable.

I will be phoning SNH today re the GA - I think I'll keep the outcome to myself.

This is tedious and pointless - no more.
 
I think your slip is showing - the absolute absense of any hands-on knowledge of how commercial forestry actually works is astonishing.

Any grant entitlement on deer fencing ended some time ago - I don't remember when - 3 - 5 years ago more? Any fencing that is put up now is done by those with money to burn - maybe like you - and not with a view to offsetting the potential damage caused by deer against the capital cost of the fencing. How much new deer fencing do you see? The grant entitlement on restocking is I understand ending this year - so there has been a "run" on stock - so we are down to the dross - very vulnerable.

I will be phoning SNH today re the GA - I think I'll keep the outcome to myself.

This is tedious and pointless - no more.

you talk one load of shi..
new fencing it's been done for years and is still being done half of Scotland is deer fenced .
Scottish woodlands don't plant unless it's fenced till-hill are going the same way.
you say "having shot 450 in 2 years " but you have no deer damage :eek: Only weevil.


"how much fencing do I see " loads it's going up everyplace, 500 acres done last week next to me.
 
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