Best Deer Management Course

[Jasperhound]

Hello all,

Just trying to enhance my knowledge and looking at a Deer Management Course. BDS appear to only run one course and it’s fully booked, Highlands do one starting next January, anyone any advice or experience? Comments appreciated.

 

[Spiker]

Jasperhound. If you do not need it for work I would think twice and save the expense. Completed mine with BDS at Catterick several years ago. Five days sitting on your bum. Death by Powerpoint. Worst course I have ever attended and expensive. Try Jelen they get good feedback.
Spiker.

 

[Jasperhound]

Thank you, looked at their site but more money but hence the thread I started. Highland Uni do one online out of Perth. Really just personal improvement on my part, knowledge is power . It can’t hurt for any bids on ground either.

 

[willie_gunn]

I did the BDS Deer Management Course at Elveden a good few years ago now, when it ran over five days with an optional shooting test - it is now just a three day course.

If you’re going to spend time actively managing deer, devising cull plans, liaising with landowners, agents, foresters, etc then it can be very useful. However it's a management course and not a practical course, so it covers a lot of theory. Looking at the course syllabus this is clear:

Deer Management Course - The British Deer Society

Deer management course training is tailored for anyone dealing with deer management issues within a variety of habitats. Find out more.

bds.org.uk

I have found it has helped in terms of my conversations with the various parties involved on the ground where we stalk, but you need to go into the course understanding that it is not an extension of DSC1 or DSC2 in terms of practical deer stalking - but then nor is it meant to be.

 

[rutland]

Jelen pws on here. They do them Highly recommended

 

[Jasperhound]

I did the BDS Deer Management Course at Elveden a good few years ago now, when it ran over five days with an optional shooting test - it is now just a three day course.

If you’re going to spend time actively managing deer, devising cull plans, liaising with landowners, agents, foresters, etc then it can be very useful. However it's a management course and not a practical course, so it covers a lot of theory. Looking at the course syllabus this is clear:

Deer Management Course - The British Deer Society

Deer management course training is tailored for anyone dealing with deer management issues within a variety of habitats. Find out more.

bds.org.uk

I have found it has helped in terms of my conversations with the various parties involved on the ground where we stalk, but you need to go into the course understanding that it is not an extension of DSC1 or DSC2 in terms of practical deer stalking - but then nor is it meant to be.

Many thanks, it is the management side of things.

 

[jcampbellsmith]

Hello all,

Just trying to enhance my knowledge and looking at a Deer Management Course. BDS appear to only run one course and it’s fully booked, Highlands do one starting next January, anyone any advice or experience? Comments appreciated.

I suggest that you contact the BDS and Jelen and enquire when and where their next courses are. Both organisations may get cancellations. I found the 3 day BDS course very useful. I would do the course in the country that you mainly stalk in.
Regards
JCS

 

[Jasperhound]

I suggest that you contact the BDS and Jelen and enquire when and where their next courses are. Both organisations may get cancellations. I found the 3 day BDS course very useful. I would do the course in the country that you mainly stalk in.
Regards
JCS

Many thanks, have rung BDS, their books up. Jelen when we’ve finished keepers day .

 

[wytonpjs]

Another vote for the BDS Course. I found our to be very imformative and well presented by knowledgeable recocognised experts. I found it worth the money. My colleague did Jelen's due to the delay in BDS course and found that good too.

 

[monarman]

How many folk would be interested if jelen did one of their advanced deer management courses in North Yorkshire?..... its a brilliant course but it's only run down at their hq in Hampshire atm.... which means more fuel and overnight stays

 

[Jasperhound]

How many folk would be interested if jelen did one of their advanced deer management courses in North Yorkshire?..... its a brilliant course but it's only run down at their hq in Hampshire atm.... which means more fuel and overnight stays

Good point, would they?

 

[Blackdown_Ranger]

I’ve no complaints with the BDS course but echo the earlier comment about why are you doing it. I personally needed the qualification as the contract with the land owner requires a formal deer management plan and formal qualifications for DMG members depending on their role and responsibilities.

If your stalking involves either writing a deer management plan or part of a syndicate that delivers management against a cull plan then I would recommend doing the course. If you enjoy guided stalking and not involved in the management plan aspect then I wouldn’t necessarily bother. Either way I recommend Dominic Griffiths Book: Deer Management in the UK, it covers a lot of the course content so useful pre-reading for those doing the course and a good alternative for those who don’t require the qualification.

 

[monarman]

If there's enough interest from here up north I'm sure jelen would consider running a course.....

 

[Jasperhound]

Maybe if they advertised one there’d be takers. I’m not sure how we can control their training programme. I’m sure they have contacts who are on this site though.

 

[308tikka]

Or since it gets sold out every year and they hold it in the least convenient period when managers actually need to manage to meet final culls, the BDS could get off their arses and run one in the summer.

 

[Jasperhound]

Or since it gets sold out every year and they hold it in the least convenient period when managers actually need to manage to meet final culls, the BDS could get off their arses and run one in the summer.

To be fair, I did speak to BDS and they said they might run one but couldn’t say when, where etc. one a year seems a little poor but I’m not IC planning. I’m sure there are variables we don’t know about. Shame though for a national organisation. Any amount of DSC1 but continuity for more development less so perhaps?

 

[rutland]

Speak to Mike at jelen. I know he has links with a well known estate in north yorks.

 

[Alces Alces]

Jasperhound. If you do not need it for work I would think twice and save the expense. Completed mine with BDS at Catterick several years ago. Five days sitting on your bum. Death by Powerpoint. Worst course I have ever attended and expensive. Try Jelen they get good feedback.
Spiker.

I attended the BDS Management course over 20 years ago and I have to agree, it was death by PP and not all that enjoyable. The most memorable 'speaker' from me was .......... on dogs for deer, I though he was as mad as a box of frogs and so politically incorrect that you had to laugh! The best course I ever attended was the National Stalkers Competency Certificate held in Bulford in1995, I learned so much thanks to the enthusiasm and expert tuition demonstrated by the late Alex Jagger

 

[rutland]

I’ve been in contact with Mike at jelen pws. He said if there is enough interest he will put on a course at Mulgrave estate. So I suggest those that are interested to get in contact with him.

 

[monarman]

Mulgrave Estate is in North Yorkshire near whitby.... just to clarify.