Available: Community Deer Stalking at Creag Meagaidh NNR
- Thread starter forestgimp1
- Start date
sgurrdamh
Well-Known Member
Jesus suffering ****. We moan constantly that there’s no opportunity for local people to get involved in stalking without paying lots of money, someone makes a positive step and everyone who’s see a deer once decides to explain why they don’t think it will work.
Well done NatureScot.
Well done NatureScot.
baguio
Well-Known Member
You could argue that anyone who has seen a deer once could be stalking them soon too? What could possibly go wrong? Hopefully there will be professionals on standby when deer are wounded. I’m sure the people bringing this in have mitigations in place though. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. I wish the lucky stalkers the best of luck.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
I'm struggling to get my head round this debate., why its even a debate at all???
Really no different than a glorified/normal syndicate, except restricted just for locals, and cheap which is great on both fronts.
As has been said its a fair lump of ground, i don't know it as well as some do but fairly open.
Yes bobble hats can appear from anywhere at anytime but in open upland u really should be seeing them early ( or the deer do)
completely different to lowland forestry stalking with well used foot paths everywhere.
U can never take safety for granted but it really shouldn't be any special concern there.
Hell how did most folk on here start before quals were invented??
They are already talking about dsc1/2 and relevant quad/argo tickets wot more can u really do??
Other than hold there hand.
And if there is some sort of mentoring scheme set up for youngster and newbies, brilliant, just hope it all works.
Really no different than a glorified/normal syndicate, except restricted just for locals, and cheap which is great on both fronts.
As has been said its a fair lump of ground, i don't know it as well as some do but fairly open.
Yes bobble hats can appear from anywhere at anytime but in open upland u really should be seeing them early ( or the deer do)
completely different to lowland forestry stalking with well used foot paths everywhere.
U can never take safety for granted but it really shouldn't be any special concern there.
Hell how did most folk on here start before quals were invented??
They are already talking about dsc1/2 and relevant quad/argo tickets wot more can u really do??
Other than hold there hand.
And if there is some sort of mentoring scheme set up for youngster and newbies, brilliant, just hope it all works.
foxhunter
Well-Known Member
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
I really don't want to belittle any safety concerns but in reality upland stalking in daylight is about as safe a thing u can do stalking/rifle wise. ( big open areas, most likely plenty elevation/back stop and generally a bit of time to see beasts too)
Lamping/NV/thermal fox/rabbit shooting is probably the more dodgy end of the spectrum safety wise and u need to be on the ball paying attention do u have the same concerns about ever newbie on a farmers fields???
I really hope it taskes off and is a success, would be good to see more ideas like this across scotland.
Althou i imagine could be a bit of hard work for the organiser/captain at times keeping everyone right and paperwork up to date.
Fair play to SNH/nature scot not often i'll say that sentence
Lamping/NV/thermal fox/rabbit shooting is probably the more dodgy end of the spectrum safety wise and u need to be on the ball paying attention do u have the same concerns about ever newbie on a farmers fields???
I really hope it taskes off and is a success, would be good to see more ideas like this across scotland.
Althou i imagine could be a bit of hard work for the organiser/captain at times keeping everyone right and paperwork up to date.
Fair play to SNH/nature scot not often i'll say that sentence
baguio
Well-Known Member
Have to agree countrryboy but it wasn't just the shooting aspect that might cause safety issues. There's so much to think about. The possibility of people getting lost and or injured in foul weather has crossed my mind. There's certainly much to be done but certainly do able and a great opportunity.
Sealgair nam fiadh
Well-Known Member
I think that this is a good idea, at the very least it could be viewed as an experiment.
If this goes well, and I hope it does it could be the thing to get a similar system in operation on FLS ground.
It has been said before that a US/Canadian system of "Tags" could be introduced for FLS ground, after all it is ours ( the public ) and money is already spent for other sports/past-times on FLS ground so why not Deerstalking ?
Safety will always be a concern but there are ways to mitigate that for example a requirement to wear Blaze orange cammo/ Hi vis vests and offer the stalking in forest areas that do not have high public access numbers.
As for qualifications, bare minimum DSC1 all the way up to what is required for a contractor ?
No doubt some will disagree, but then some will agree, but it could be done.
If this goes well, and I hope it does it could be the thing to get a similar system in operation on FLS ground.
It has been said before that a US/Canadian system of "Tags" could be introduced for FLS ground, after all it is ours ( the public ) and money is already spent for other sports/past-times on FLS ground so why not Deerstalking ?
Safety will always be a concern but there are ways to mitigate that for example a requirement to wear Blaze orange cammo/ Hi vis vests and offer the stalking in forest areas that do not have high public access numbers.
As for qualifications, bare minimum DSC1 all the way up to what is required for a contractor ?
No doubt some will disagree, but then some will agree, but it could be done.
sgurrdamh
Well-Known Member
Anyone with even a drop of knowledge about how NS and similar take H&S etc will know that this won't be a half arsed thing. People in the industry (myself included) have been pushing for public stalking opportunities for local amateur people for a long time now, many of those people have come up with hypothetically workable plans and systems to make this every bit as safe and successful as any other stalking venture.
People with an unknown level of knowledge and experience are renting stalking ground all the time - ironically in more populated and therefore more challenging places to manage safety than this... and no one is trying to change that. They often do this with no H&S plan, proper training (which I don't think DSC1 and 2 gets close to) or access to anyone with a half decent knowledge of deer; let alone a half decent dog.
countrryboy
Well-Known Member
Aye but if ur dealing with locals in a rural upland area like that they most likely work outdoors anyway, so will be out working in the same conditions 5 days a week anyway.
Even if there not actively working in the countryside could very easily be walking there dogs etc there, i'd hazard a guess be far more safe lone working procedures put in place beforehand before anyones allowed out solo.
As has been said no more a risk than any other bit of ground and easily overcame/mitigated
I dunno wot ideas they have but many wildfowling clubs new members, no matter their experience need to be mentored on the ground for a certain period of time.
Must admit while i think this is a great idea, i'm not sure rolling out a tag scheme over the rest of FC ground would ever be feasible or viable on safety ( generally just too well used by the public, and its the public who should be made to wear hi viz rather than other staklers. Can u imagine the tabloid headlines public made to wear hi viz to avoid being shot!1) and crop protection grounds ( after all u are there to protect the trees growth)
We have provided a paid opportunity for local stalkers all within a short drive of a large site in the Cairngorms to assist with deer management and are seeking to donate half of the venison money we are due to the local community, via produce such as burgers and sausages. This requires cooperation from the game dealer in question, therefore yet to demonstrate if this second part will prove to be a success. The more we can encourage communities and young people to enjoy game produce from the local hills the better. Arguably the healthiest meat one could eat with a very low environmental impact.
I don’t think its actually Nature Scots idea.This has been suggested by highland communities for some time.Niall Rowntree has been quite vociferous in his support for it!I think NS are just bending with the wind!
I met him and he was all for the community deer management.From people putting food on their own table to locals becoming full time deer managers and everything in between.I don’t think its actually Nature Scots idea.This has been suggested by highland communities for some time.Niall Rowntree has been quite vociferous in his support for it!I think NS are just bending with the wind!
Even mentioned an American style tag system to make stalking accessible to everyone.
I can't see that taking hold but who knows.
forestgimp1
Well-Known Member
Your thoughts are completely wide of the mark. No bending in the wind involved.I don’t think its actually Nature Scots idea.This has been suggested by highland communities for some time.Niall Rowntree has been quite vociferous in his support for it!I think NS are just bending with the wind!
This has come about purely from NS estate staff and wildlife team discussions.
Cumbrian 1
Well-Known Member
This hits the nail on the head, in the SNPs communist state known as Scotland, good land management = annihilation of deer. I’m pretty sure their objective is to reduce deer numbers to such low levels that recreational stalking is not possible and large estates can’t derive an income. The SNP is not a friend of field sports.
Woodsmoke
Well-Known Member
Oh, I would be! Don't forget you've just been given advice by the most experienced, knowledgeable, skilled, erudite, and best-looking member on the forum. Disregarding the fact we've had not absolutely not a shred of evidence, the fact he repeats the same sentiments time and time again should be ample proof of just how valuable his contributions are. I just wonder how he finds the time to share his wisdom with us, what with all the saving-of-the-world, rebellion-crushing, and virgin deflowering he must get up to . . . . . . . .
baguio
Well-Known Member
You make me laugh Woodsmoke. How about showing us what you know on here and age this deer and tell us your reasons. It's a trophy buck so right up your street. Roe buck age
Don’t believe that ,NS is a quango run by the extreme leftistSNP party who would like to eliminate private deer stalking and just have rangers or contractors “controlling “ deer. Niall and others have been pushing this idea of community deer control for years !The people on the ground know what deer numbers are acceptable for their area and can use the income generated for the benefit of those communities.
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