BASC launches register of competent deer stalkers
- Thread starter Conor O'Gorman
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Free range rob
Well-Known Member
Only mandatory if you want to use their services
(I shall refrain from saying ‘benefit from thier services as that’s personal opinion if its a benefit or not)
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Yes, I think that is where it is aimed at to start with. It is early days for the initiative.
scoby3030
Well-Known Member
Never been asked for a dsc or if i'm a member of basc by any landowner, obviously if i had a dsc2 that would make me super competent and the farmers/landowners would be much happier, not the fact i get the job done as humanely and quickly as possible. Never had a deer ask if i'm competent enough to shoot them either.
So is the intention to use your position to negotiate with larger landowners? Effectively to become a broker between landowners and your members?
Qualifications and proof of competence are here to stay, like it or lump it, it’s not going away! I’d reckon anyone who thinks they won’t be asked is either naive, already has plenty of stalking or is reaching the end of their time in the game. I can see a time coming when those without qualifications will struggle to find opportunities to stalk. Any landowner who takes advice from their insurers or an agent or (rightly) BASC will ask for them. It’s an easy way for them to prove that the person walking around their land with a firearm has proved they are capable of doing so safely. Don’t have them, don’t stalk there, simples. Also, there are (publicly funded) schemes that landowners want to benefit from which require the stalkers to be qualifed (or at least able to hold pencil) to get hold of that money, so of course they will want to use someone who can do everything they need (deer management plan, habitat survey, exclosure assessments). If everyone is so competent then where’s the harm in proving it for probably far less than the cost of the latest ‘must have’ piece of kit?
And of course BASC will (and should!) promote the services of their members first and foremost, it would be very odd not to do so. Promoting members with qualifications is, again, a safer bet for BASC than someone who does not and whose experience might be subjective. If a neighbouring landowner to me calls BASC asking for details of a stalker then I very much welcome the chance at being put forward, ideally before Joe down the road who couldn’t be bothered to do his DSC1 or 2 because “he’d shot more deer then I’d had hot dinners”. Cause we all know that there are no BS’ers in stalking!
Well done BASC and @Conor O'Gorman for getting this initiative up and running. Details added!
And of course BASC will (and should!) promote the services of their members first and foremost, it would be very odd not to do so. Promoting members with qualifications is, again, a safer bet for BASC than someone who does not and whose experience might be subjective. If a neighbouring landowner to me calls BASC asking for details of a stalker then I very much welcome the chance at being put forward, ideally before Joe down the road who couldn’t be bothered to do his DSC1 or 2 because “he’d shot more deer then I’d had hot dinners”. Cause we all know that there are no BS’ers in stalking!
Well done BASC and @Conor O'Gorman for getting this initiative up and running. Details added!
Rake Aboot
Well-Known Member
Yup remember that when you can’t shoot pigeons with an air rifle unless Basc say your good enough.
well i took the time , I think its the correct thing - Sometime in the future it might work out but at present i doubt this will be straight, honest and transparent
BASC don’t get to make that decision. But if taking PSC1 made me someone they might recommend over old BS Joe from down the road and I had any interest in shooting pigeons with an air gun (I don’t!) then I’d be enrolled!
I am in a deer desert, so not much of a chance of a phone call.
I’m surprised to read that no-one has ever been asked about qualifications. Count yourselves fortunate!
The ground we have stalked over for some 30 years has started applying for forestry grants. As a result we’ve been asked to provide details of all the relevant competence training, along with EFAW+F, proof of insurance, etc. to support their application.
We are also now required to produce an Annual Report on our deer management activities, together with relevant statistics, etc. It’s not a particular issue for us, as we’ve been maintaining this type of information for years, but I imagine for the old “handshake and a bottle of whisky at Christmas” type of stalking arrangements it would come as a distinct shock!
I doubt that it will ever become universal, but I would expect that Estates run by trusts, and those applying for grants or other public funds, will be increasingly asked for documented evidence. There is too much money at stake for them not to comply.
The ground we have stalked over for some 30 years has started applying for forestry grants. As a result we’ve been asked to provide details of all the relevant competence training, along with EFAW+F, proof of insurance, etc. to support their application.
We are also now required to produce an Annual Report on our deer management activities, together with relevant statistics, etc. It’s not a particular issue for us, as we’ve been maintaining this type of information for years, but I imagine for the old “handshake and a bottle of whisky at Christmas” type of stalking arrangements it would come as a distinct shock!
I doubt that it will ever become universal, but I would expect that Estates run by trusts, and those applying for grants or other public funds, will be increasingly asked for documented evidence. There is too much money at stake for them not to comply.
Shootgun
Well-Known Member
I was trying for 4 years to get on a particular piece of land and finnaly out of the blue i got a phone call from the landowner's agent, saying the owner wants to meet me.
I put togheter a folder with copies of my DSC1 and 2, insurance, EFAW+forestry and a disclaimer, just in case , and the first question was if i hold any qualifications.
Upon presenting the said folder, he signed the permission letter right away and 2 weeks later he introduced me to the next door 2000 acre estate owner, which also signed the permission letter straight away, with rights over deer, game , vermin and fishing.
I think depends a lot of who the landowner is, the farmers don't really care, but the business men they do like a bit of paperwork.
I also stalk FC ground , and used to stalk NT ground as well , and as we all know, you can't get those without the relevant qualifications, so it worth having it.
Exactly.
Having the relevant qualifications is never going to do you any harm, but as you explain they may well open up opportunities that would otherwise have been missed.
If you can prove to a landowner - or more particularly their agent - that you are professional (with a small “p”), competent and diligent, and have the paperwork to prove it, then you immediately distance yourself from 95% of the others who are also looking for stalking.
It will never replace “word of mouth” or personal relationships, but with more and more estates being run as Trusts, with a strong emphasis on public access, amenity woodlands and forestry grants, etc. they have to be seen to be doing the right thing, and have the audit trail to prove it.
big ears
Well-Known Member
In principal this is a good idea that a shooting organisation is trying to support its members.
Another way of looking at it is that BASC are loosing significant numbers of members and are trying to stop that by tying people in.
What will be interesting is if they are willing to commit to every six months, from now they publish the number of stalkers they have helped with this scheme.
Transparency is everything, if they are trying to support its members then they need to show that their scheme is more than a publicity stunt.
BE
Another way of looking at it is that BASC are loosing significant numbers of members and are trying to stop that by tying people in.
What will be interesting is if they are willing to commit to every six months, from now they publish the number of stalkers they have helped with this scheme.
Transparency is everything, if they are trying to support its members then they need to show that their scheme is more than a publicity stunt.
BE
Did it ask for BASC membership? Was one of the least hassle forms I’ve completed for a while.
Honestly don’t see the issue - there are owners, specifically looking for control rather than sporting, that expect you to have the paperwork - including risk assessments prepared for the ground etc.
If it was your land, these days, wouldn’t you?
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@theroedeerguy
Well-Known Member
I
It does ask for your BASC membership number.
David Barker
Well-Known Member
I have been managing deer for over 40 years and still manage quite large areas. This includes government funded amenity woodlands and i have never been asked for any cert. All my ground has come from recommendations. BASC will no doubt get a good few on the register that said in scotland we have the government supported Fit and Competent that over rules all the shooting organisation,s
sikamalc
Administrator
Is this not the same as the Fit and competent register in Scotland?
As far as a list of professional honest stalkers is concerned, who is going to be in the position to decide who is, and who is not on the list?
One only has to look at some areas of social media to see some of these so called pro stalkers, who charge for rifle use, or request that the client should be insured, when paying for commercial stalking. Clearly many have no idea that this is wrong. Let alone the many that carry passengers to and from their stalking ground in their vehicle, and yet are NOT insured to carry paying passengers or running a business with it.
As far as a list of professional honest stalkers is concerned, who is going to be in the position to decide who is, and who is not on the list?
One only has to look at some areas of social media to see some of these so called pro stalkers, who charge for rifle use, or request that the client should be insured, when paying for commercial stalking. Clearly many have no idea that this is wrong. Let alone the many that carry passengers to and from their stalking ground in their vehicle, and yet are NOT insured to carry paying passengers or running a business with it.
I honestly can’t believe that people have never been asked for proof of qualifications. Every single piece of land or syndicate I have stalked on (unaccompanied) over the last 30 years has needed to see proof of DSC1 and 2 together with proof of insurance and more recently EFAW+F and annual skills testing.
I can’t see anything wrong with this initiative from BASC. It’s a great service for members and landowners if it takes off.
I can’t see anything wrong with this initiative from BASC. It’s a great service for members and landowners if it takes off.
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