BDS ?

[NullMac]

So why is there not more activity on here from the BDS? Are stalkers not part of their community?

I see the odd event posted on here but that's it. Are they just not very active or wot?

 

[Kersnow]

I joined the local branch a couple of years ago and don't think they were really interested in new comers.

They offered a mentoring scheme, which as new to stalking seemed to be a good idea so I enquired and was given an mentor but other than some emails I heard no more so gave up and didn't renew my subs.

 

[timbrayford]

Like many organisations what you get out of it reflects what you put into it.

 

[Tazz]

Bar the nice magazine you would not know they existed

 

[Klenchblaize]

Do please remember the BDS is not a deer stalking club but rather a deer welfare charity.

Yes, I know their advertising revenue stream is at least 95% hunting with a rifle related but you can’t and shouldn’t expect them to get involved with the SD Blaser and Creedmoor debates!

K

 

[Dickie]

Deer welfare and science is the BDS core the fact that as stalkers that overlaps mean the membership is high of stalkers and deer managers.

 

[Plitts]

I agree you get out what you put in...
My BDS local group have organised (at a great price) shot site assessment day with tracking advice, a venison butchery demonstration, woodland management walkaround mornings...plus some range days.
These days allow networking with other like minded folk and has led to new stalking and new friends.

 

[Ronin]

If the BDS were interested in deer welfare and humane control they would not support the changes to DMQ (in particular level 1) that have turned it into frankly a farce

Neither would they be against Continuous Development of existing stalkers enhancing their skills by allowing longer range areas to be used for practice

Many volunteers have given years to the organisation in the vain hope it may change its dated views in some facets of deer managment and training

The powers that be , “ know best” and refuse to listen or discuss progression

I’m sure this policy will cost membership subscriptions and goodwill of committee members and volunteers who have simply run out of patience with false promises, endless merry go round discussions and individuals who neither understand or are involved in deer management yet control the helm of this particular ship,,

 

[Overlay]

BDS are a great form of information and help why would you not support them if you are a serious deer stalker

I’ve found you only have to ask, and ask yourself is there anyone else which offer and supply solid trusted information on deer only
For me they get my money each year purely based on that

 

[Ronin]

Did you obtain the information sought from local branch or fordingbridge ,,?

Numerous sources of encyclopaedic information about UK Deer Species within this forum

 

[308tikka]

Membership is a requirement for some of my stalking areas. Therefore its cheap.

The magazine is excellent, and the shop can be quite useful. I was annoyed by dropping insurance so am now also an NGO member - supercheap at £45.

Ive been to quite a few events over the years - it depends whether you like learning about the ecology. The DMC was decent.

This is a social media site - theres no requirement for a chariry to engage on SM.

 

[TopDown]

I recently joined BDS. As mentioned above, they are a charity not a shooting organisation. Expectations need to be commensurate.

 

[Buchan]

As Ronin says there is a difficulty in getting the board of BDS to facilitate marksmanship training, other than repeating the level 1 shooting test ( now appalling devalued as a test)). I trust that they recognise that shooting is the commonest welfare harm for deer, however I think the board struggle to recognise how to deliver this without compromising the charitable status. This comes across that the board don’t seem to want to promote better marksmanship, which is frustrating for those of us in the branches trying to do just that.

 

[Rutland lad]

I agree you get out what you put in...
My BDS local group have organised (at a great price) shot site assessment day with tracking advice, a venison butchery demonstration, woodland management walkaround mornings...plus some range days.
These days allow networking with other like minded folk and has led to new stalking and new friends.

That’ll be me then. Thanks for your kind words, thats exactly what the East Mercia Branch tries to do.
We did do many years of monthly meetings with guest speakers, but when people have travelled a long way to speak, and we get little or no turnout of members we decided to go down the route of Range Days plus selected events.
There are others on here more qualified to speak about the BDS than I am, but at its heart it remains a ‘deer welfare charity’ and as such has to tread a fine line between outright stalking and conservation.
Hence why you perhaps don’t see too much on here, as this is SD. The clue is in the name.

 

[Plitts]

That’ll be me then. Thanks for your kind words, thats exactly what the East Mercia Branch tries to do.
We did do many years of monthly meetings with guest speakers, but when people have travelled a long way to speak, and we get little or no turnout of members we decided to go down the route of Range Days plus selected events.
There are others on here more qualified to speak about the BDS than I am, but at its heart it remains a ‘deer welfare charity’ and as such has to tread a fine line between outright stalking and conservation.
Hence why you perhaps don’t see too much on here, as this is SD. The clue is in the name.

yes, I was referring to the East Mercia branch !! from one new Rutlander to another !

 

[Jon P]

Not a member, but do buy carcass tags off them as prefer to give my money to them than anyone else.

 

[Overlay]

Did you obtain the information sought from local branch or fordingbridge ,,?

Numerous sources of encyclopaedic information about UK Deer Species within this forum

Anything I want to get information on I go either direct to BDS or my local guy Both are a good reliable source
Haven’t had to get resources from anywhere else BDS have always been helpful

 

[NullMac]

but at its heart it remains a ‘deer welfare charity’ and as such has to tread a fine line between outright stalking and conservation.

I would have thought the two were intrinsically linked?

Hence why you perhaps don’t see too much on here, as this is SD. The clue is in the name.

I don't see much about them anywhere, hence the question.

If this isn't an obvious source for new members where is? So I was wondering whether it was defunct, a secret society, just old fashioned or something else altogether?

What's the point of a deer welfare charity if it doesn't publicise anything about deer welfare??

 

[Rutland lad]

I would have thought the two were intrinsically linked?

I don't see much about them anywhere, hence the question.

If this isn't an obvious source for new members where is? So I was wondering whether it was defunct, a secret society, just old fashioned or something else altogether?

What's the point of a deer welfare charity if it doesn't publicise anything about deer welfare??

I agree totally with your thoughts.
The direction the BDS takes is decided by its board of trustees I think.
It certainly could do with more active publicity in my opinion.

 

[8x57]

Some of the branches were quite active, it very much depended on having a few keen individuals who pushed things on.
Unfortunately I think that many have as Ronin suggests became disillusioned, and with some exceptions you are left with just the old guard.