Did you ever get a sensible answer to this?
Trawling through the first page it's just the usual drivel.
Culling contractors
- Thread starter Dawsie
- Start date
Trawling through the first page it's just the usual drivel.
The answer is mostly Scotland but I do know some lads in north England that do it!! but not sure of further south. I would say the numbers for Scotland would be around the 10,000 for the whole of the country on fls ground Not sure on England though.
baguio
Well-Known Member
Where would contractors send their cull figures in England and Wales so that someone can add up all the figures? Who would pay this person to add up the figures and why does anyone need to know anyway?
one thing is clear you could not imo ever eradicate red deer in Scotland if you wanted to and no one is trying to. Ok some local variations in densities bound to happen. People just got used to high densities, with winter feeding in some locations reduced mortality. Bottom line for years for whatever reasons not enough we’re culled resulting in deep mire. Shame deer commission as was no longer around. Just my opinion from past experience and maybe not relevant today.
Total annual cull in Scotland is about 100,000 pr which about 35,000 are by FLS. What the contractor split is I don't know but guess it will be at ;east half.
Deer population in Scotland is estimated at around 1m.
This is a bit out of date but I would be exteemly surprised if numbers have reduced since the document was produced.
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/im...ement-on-scotlands-national-forest-estate.pdf
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Just in to set the record straight I did some culling with Gordon and Jock Black back in the 80s for Tillhill forestry either 86;0r 87
would need to go into the loft to.finf my record books to be certain but on Christmas Eve which ever year it was we culled 57 stags on a plantation all retrieved
and the bells had rung out for Christmas
before we were finished in the larder.
Not stalking but a necessary job of work.
Forestry is to grow timber and they need to protect that investment it is not to provide
stalking for recreational stalkers.
When you have a large break in usually due
to snow building up against the fence
there is no real alternative to culling you can have all the deer leaps you like but the
majority will need to be culled and speed is
Of the essence to prevent damage something a lot don't seem to grasp.
would need to go into the loft to.finf my record books to be certain but on Christmas Eve which ever year it was we culled 57 stags on a plantation all retrieved
and the bells had rung out for Christmas
before we were finished in the larder.
Not stalking but a necessary job of work.
Forestry is to grow timber and they need to protect that investment it is not to provide
stalking for recreational stalkers.
When you have a large break in usually due
to snow building up against the fence
there is no real alternative to culling you can have all the deer leaps you like but the
majority will need to be culled and speed is
Of the essence to prevent damage something a lot don't seem to grasp.
God knows and the fc is just one chain in the link, you gave plenty private groups like till hill,fountain ect so getting a exact figure will be a nightmare
Fls and fc state that deer density’s are rising every year
baguio
Well-Known Member
Impossible more like.
Impossible to be exact but all land managers are supposed to submit annual cull returns to NatureScot. OK so many farmers and small landholding owners dont but the major ones do. This will supply sufficient information to give a pretty good estimate of annual culls and trends
Cut+Squirt
Well-Known Member
I don't mind putting my hand up.
I currently shoot deer as part of a contract (paid). By that reckoning I suppose I'm a 'contractor' to some extent, although it only makes up part of my work. I'm not shooting deer full time.
I shoot mainly roe in new forestry creations, but also some red and the occasional sika.
I have 'contracted' in the past (night shooting) in areas where the density of deer on the ground was ridiculously high. Caused in the most part by syndicates living miles away and allowing numbers to spiral out of control over a period of years.
1. I believe that the 8K figure has been static in SWS for years, the fact that it has been static shows that it is sustainable otherwise the cull returns would diminish.
2. Don't honestly know what the monetary value would be, as don't know the ratio of Red to Roe, but let us assume they are all Roe @14kg that would equate to 112,000kg at whatever price has been agreed.
3. All Carcasses belong to FLS
4. All population surveys are done by Strath Caulaidh and that has been the accepted method for a long time.
5. I dont think that the word "hammering" the deer is applicable here, trying to keep on top of the population is a major undertaking,on new plantations there has to be, basically zero tolerance. Once the crop is at an age whereby damage is not an issue then the foot can be taken off the gas, or that is what you would expect, but as the Forest is a living progressing entity there will always be new plantations & re-stock sites to protect.
regards
G
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