Deer Hunting Seasons extended in Republic of Ireland

[nun_hunter]

Shooting Hinds heavy in calf that's fuxxxd up.

From a welfare perspective it's no different to months earlier when the hind was still pregnant, it's just a squeamish thing from a human view.

Also from a culling perspective it makes sense if you can identify which hinds are fertile and breeding and then shoot whichever ones best fit in with your cull plan.

 

[.308]

W

While I agree that you need to hit females big time to reduce numbers every stag shot is one less to cause damage to crops ,- remember every land manager has different needs and those needs are not necessarily providing "sport".
Also what are the welfare implications of shooting a stag a few months later? Dead is surely dead!

The welfare I mean or refer to is the fact of them being under so much pressure. It will ruin the deer there will be no management as people taking pot shots all year long at them now. And they are not vermin at the end of the day and are native the reds anyway. The poachers have a another few months to target them so less get by and the gene pool will have the smaller ones left as be honest most shoot the biggest first well poachers will as bigger is more weight and more money. I disagree with shooting heavily pregnant hinds. Y not give a month of October for them.

 

[slider]

The welfare I mean or refer to is the fact of them being under so much pressure. It will ruin the deer there will be no management as people taking pot shots all year long at them now. And they are not vermin at the end of the day and are native the reds anyway. The poachers have a another few months to target them so less get by and the gene pool will have the smaller ones left as be honest most shoot the biggest first well poachers will as bigger is more weight and more money. I disagree with shooting heavily pregnant hinds. Y not give a month of October for them.

Well the general pool has already been altered by humans that target "cull animals" and leave the bigger bodies and heads to breed.

 

[.308]

Well the general pool has already been altered by humans that target "cull animals" and leave the bigger bodies and heads to breed.

Leave best animals to breed. Poaching targets whatever moves

 

[Long drag]

No it isn't.

Yes it is, and can't see how anyone can justify it.

 

[StephenToast]

Yes it is, and can't see how anyone can justify it.

Easily. The calf is dead before you even get to the hind to gralloch it. It is totally unaware and never has been aware.

 

[Brave Echo Niner]

Shooting Hinds heavy in calf that's fuxxxd up.

While I can't say anyone enjoys gralloching a deer with a formed fetus, in reality no matter what time in the season you shoot them they are pregnant, there is no difference from a welfare perspective shooting them early pregnancy vs late pregnancy.

Look at the timings of the respective ruts:
Red: Sept - Nov
Sika: Sept - Nov
Fallow: Sept - Nov
Roe: July - August

Given this, for the whole female season in the UK, for whichever species you will be culling pregnant deer.

The alternative is culling them when they have exceedingly young Calves/kids at foot, which would present an actual welfare issue; the reason for why the seasons sit as they do currently in England/Wales (and as ROI has matched).

I would seriously question anyone who suggests flipping the seasons would be a good choice.

Ben

 

[Long drag]

In old days it was common for a sheep that was dying to have its throat cut, and then take the lambs out alive.
Shot a vixen some years ago, dragged her to heavy cover, cubs still kicking inside her.
Why are deer any different.

 

[VSS]

In old days it was common for a sheep that was dying to have its throat cut, and then take the lambs out alive.
Shot a vixen some years ago, dragged her to heavy cover, cubs still kicking inside her.
Why are deer any different.

In order to get the lambs out of a ewe alive in that way, you need to have the gun in one hand and a knife in the other, and start cutting the moment you pull the trigger. I know, as I've done it a number of times successfully, and also failed a few times.
You are not shooting deer at 6 inches range with a knife in your hand. The foetus of a deer you've just shot is dead by the time you've walked up to the animal. Anyone who tells you they've seen a foetus squirming in the gralloch is talking bullsh*t.
And your story about the fox isn't very believable either. I don't doubt that's what you think you saw, but I highly doubt that's what it was. Anyway, bit of a hypocrite aren't you, shooting pregnant foxes?

 

[Long drag]

In order to get the lambs out of a ewe alive in that way, you need to have the gun in one hand and a knife in the other, and start cutting the moment you pull the trigger. I know, as I've done it a number of times successfully, and also failed a few times.
You are not shooting deer at 6 inches range with a knife in your hand. The foetus of a deer you've just shot is dead by the time you've walked up to the animal. Anyone who tells you they've seen a foetus squirming in the gralloch is talking bullsh*t.
And your story about the fox isn't very believable either. I don't doubt that's what you think you saw, but I highly doubt that's what it was. Anyway, bit of a hypocrite aren't you, shooting pregnant foxes?

I also have taken lambs as described, and there was no rush in the operation, and yes sometimes it failed.
Perhaps the vixens you shoot at night have high heels on, different over here.
Believe what you like, I'm not in the habit of lying, suppose it's a bit like a heart shot deer must drop on the spot, dont think so.

 

[Sol]

You guys missing when the Scottish government is also thinking about increasing the hind season, too the point where we also will be shooting in heavy calf.
What about all the foxes, birds, and muntjac shot over the years that also have young almost developed, or born?

Roe are also heavy developed by the end of this month too! yet no one bats an eye.

 

[slider]

Leave best animals to breed.

Exactly - artificially altering the gene pool

 

[25 Sharps]

If honest I don't agree with that season. It's 2 warm for those with no fridge no down time for stags. Females heavy in calf. Better running stags sep to Feb and females Oct to Feb. The animals need time also for breeding and in general an decent off season

The animals, whose population get out of control, need time for a decent breeding season?

If a hind/doe is heavily in calf it means she won’t have a dependant, so it the best time to shoot her. There’s no room for squeamishness!

No wonder deer populations are exploding. Ultimately the seasons are only really being brought into line with the current English seasons which have never caused any welfare issues.

 

[25 Sharps]

Shooting Hinds heavy in calf that's fuxxxd up.

No it isn’t, it’s probably the best time to shoot them from a welfare perspective.

Good job you don’t have muntjac that breed year round!

 

[25 Sharps]

Yes it is, and can't see how anyone can justify it.

Then you don’t have much of an understanding of welfare.

 

[dunwater]

The change was very sudden, no one was expecting it before August, it has caught Coillte out, because the annual lease period runs from September through to the end of February.
We have no idea when we can go out again until they make their corporate decision.
For me shooting is on hold pending clarification by the landowner.
A big advantage of the new season will be the reduction in the number of out of season licenses issued, if you need a section under the new regime you’re either very unlucky or lazy. Maybe NPWS will now have some time to address the rampant poaching, but I’m not holding my breath.
Big questions not yet answered, will the cull figures now actually increase, and if so, who’s going to do it and where are the carcasses going?
The age structure of stalkers in Ireland is heavily skewed towards that section of society rapidly approaching their 70’s and most of us are already shooting as much as we can process.
Theres been feck all stalker recruitment for the last 30 years and there’s precious few young people taking it up.
Our Gardai are not too keen on issuing full bore rifle certificates to teenagers, but maybe that will change.
A steady market for the carcasses would be nice, there was some discussion of introducing a minimum price per Kg, but that’s gone very quiet. For me it’s the weigh and pay at a substantial loss or just take the prime cuts and drag the remainder into the bushes. Neither solution is ideal.
I’m willing to give the new seasons a go, God knows the old ones weren’t working.

 

[dunwater]

Poaching targets whatever moves

Which is true random selection and should have no impact on management.

 

[slider]

If honest I don't agree with that season. It's 2 warm for those with no fridge no down time for stags. Females heavy in calf. Better running stags sep to Feb and females Oct to Feb. The animals need time also for breeding and in general an decent off season

You Sir, are the very reason populations are getting out of control.

 

[.308]

You Sir, are the very reason populations are getting out of control.

i wouldnt say so. in high populated areas we focus on females, and on some permissions we keep the hear a limited number and observe this ever year, the landowner dictates what he wants taken and left and we find in this area we have a steady population and healthy animals

 

[Mungo]

Shooting Hinds heavy in calf that's fuxxxd up.

Why?

Dead is dead.