Does DSC 2 open up more opportunities?

[carthorse]

So here we go bit of a controversial point, but I’m gonna “put it out there” to test the water…..

DSC level 2.
So to start, Ok yes I 100% endorse training and it is somewhat lacking in this country in my opinion at a base level, many people getting access to deer stalking and not knowing the first thing about deer or deer ecology, all they know is they like guns and they like a freezer full of meat.
To slightly contradict myself here, does the DSC level 2 qualification actually make any difference in lowland stalking, and the opportunities it brings?
I have been told no stalking allowed on this land so many times, and when asked why that is, ethical reasons are usually fielded as the main blocker, that in itself is another topic for discussion, but to stay on course, I explain that I have done various deer management courses and mention DSC and it makes no difference at all to most land owners, all they seem to be interested in is “how much, how often”.
Interested to hear if anyone has swayed any land owners because they have DSC 2 and that was the only thing that clinched the deal.

 

[VSS]

You only have to look at the requirements for some syndicate places to know that having DSC2 will open up additional opportunities. Whether or not you can afford to take advantage of those opportunities is another matter.
And if you were applying for a job as a stalker or ranger, one would assume that the higher qualification would be looked upon more favourably, even if only because it shows a commitment to CPD.
And of course, there are competitors in the stalking quals marketplace now. That skews things a bit.

 

[Mike L]

Yes

 

[Dave_45]

Yes but it doesn’t guarantee a quality stalker.

Some really good folk out there with just DSC1 and some have no quals.

 

[carthorse]

You only have to look at the requirements for some syndicate places to know that having DSC2 will open up additional opportunities. Whether or not you can afford to take advantage of those opportunities is another matter.
And if you were applying for a job as a stalker or ranger, one would assume that the higher qualification would be looked upon more favourably, even if only because it shows a commitment to CPD.
And of course, there are competitors in the stalking quals marketplace now. That skews things a bit.

Thanks for thé considered reply. Some food for thought.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Like many things, it depends. Syndicates, probably, farmers direct, probably not. Most, if interested in anything are interested in insurance.
But, it won’t do you any harm.

 

[carthorse]

Like many things, it depends. Syndicates, probably, farmers direct, probably not. Most, if interested in anything are interested in insurance.
But, it won’t do you any harm.

Yes insurance when speaking to land owners is usually the third topic.

 

[Nickb]

Syndicates yes , farmers no.

Farmers round here will not have heard of any qualifications and couldn't care less.
All the ground we shoot for farmers just want deer gone.

 

[carthorse]

Syndicates yes , farmers no.

Farmers round here will not have heard of any qualifications and couldn't care less.
All the ground we shoot for farmers just want deer gone.

You are fortunate that they let you on, around here they complain about the damage and then refuse you permission to help them….

 

[Shootgun]

I wouldn't had the land i have now, without the DSC2 .

 

[Selous]

Yes it makes a difference especially when dealing with professional forest managers and organisations

 

[sikamalc]

Personally I have had very few landowners, small or large estates ask me for qualifications.

However I do think that it shows a much more professional approach if you have 1 and 2 DSC. It at least shows you have put the effort into learning about deer and their ecology. It may also be a requirement in the future. There in lies another can or worms!!
I was asked by one small landowner once, to show my qualifications as he had been approached by the NFU representative regarding shooting on his farm, and if they had 1 and 2 DSC. So I guess in some respects it could be to your advantage.

When it comes to professional organisations, such as the FC or Woodland trust, they will require DSC 1 and 2 along with first aid, etc.

But Landowners/farmers are a funny lot, one never knows what they will come up with, and a wad of notes is usually more what they are looking for.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Personally I have had very few landowners, small or large estates ask me for qualifications.

However I do think that it shows a much more professional approach if you have 1 and 2 DSC. It at least shows you have put the effort into learning about deer and their ecology. It may also be a requirement in the future. There in lies another can or worms!!
I was asked by one small landowner once, to show my qualifications as he had been approached by the NFU representative regarding shooting on his farm, and if they had 1 and 2 DSC. So I guess in some respects it could be to your advantage.

When it comes to professional organisations, such as the FC or Woodland trust, they will require DSC 1 and 2 along with first aid, etc.

But Landowners/farmers are a funny lot, one never knows what they will come up with, and a wad of notes is usually more what they are looking for.

Agreed, I can't think of a single occasion when a land owner asked about qualifications, ever!
Although, if I am asked to cull the deer I do show them my DSC2 qualifications and commercial insurance.

However, your last sentence, with expanding deer populations, and the bottom falling out of the venison market, I do wonder if things might go full circle, when I started out over 30 years ago I was offered financial reward to cull the deer on a couple of farms.

A farmer contacted me last year thanking me for my efforts crop yield up £4k, that's great, I put a lot of time in, but if I calculated my time/fuel/tax it would be me making a loss, without a few clients it wouldn't of been worth it.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Syndicates yes , farmers no.

Farmers round here will not have heard of any qualifications and couldn't care less.
All the ground we shoot for farmers just want deer gone.

This ^^^

From my experience, unless you are looking to join a syndicate or rent ground where the owners are keen to ensure any & all liabilities stop with you, ie their insurance requires you have this qual & that qual in order to demonstrate you’ve achieved a recognised level of competence & therefore are responsible if you cock things up because you should know better, farmers are only interested in whether you can do the job effectively.

 

[Bowland blades]

So here we go bit of a controversial point, but I’m gonna “put it out there” to test the water…..

DSC level 2.
So to start, Ok yes I 100% endorse training and it is somewhat lacking in this country in my opinion at a base level, many people getting access to deer stalking and not knowing the first thing about deer or deer ecology, all they know is they like guns and they like a freezer full of meat.
To slightly contradict myself here, does the DSC level 2 qualification actually make any difference in lowland stalking, and the opportunities it brings?
I have been told no stalking allowed on this land so many times, and when asked why that is, ethical reasons are usually fielded as the main blocker, that in itself is another topic for discussion, but to stay on course, I explain that I have done various deer management courses and mention DSC and it makes no difference at all to most land owners, all they seem to be interested in is “how much, how often”.
Interested to hear if anyone has swayed any land owners because they have DSC 2 and that was the only thing that clinched the deal.

It used to make a difference when I took Level 2 , It was more rigours then Min of 3 beasts and most put in more and a lot of guys got turned down ( or rather "come back when you have done some more " )
Going to be blunt here because there is no getting round it - Shooting penned in animals and only could get you a level 2 , It has de-Valued level 2 in the eyes of many / most . More than half of full time employed stalkers don't even take level 2 and to be fair most of them could run rings around those that run the courses
It makes money in the main part now in my personal view today.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Syndicates yes , farmers no.

Farmers round here will not have heard of any qualifications and couldn't care less.
All the ground we shoot for farmers just want deer gone.

Snap.

 

[sikamalc]

It used to make a difference when I took Level 2 , It was more rigours then Min of 3 beasts and most put in more and a lot of guys got turned down ( or rather "come back when you have done some more " )
Going to be blunt here because there is no getting round it - Shooting penned in animals and only could get you a level 2 , It has de-Valued level 2 in the eyes of many / most . More than half of full time employed stalkers don't even take level 2 and to be fair most of them could run rings around those that run the courses
It makes money in the main part now in my personal view today.

Can't disagree with some of what you have said.

I know of one internal verifier who had just started, who questioned why I wasn't standing right next to the candidate when he shot his last of 3 deer with me. Now this was sometime back, I grant you, but when I found out that his previous full time job was a TAX INSPECTOR you could have knocked me down with a feather.

I told the assessor he must be one of those ****s who takes his rifle out once a month, shoots one Roe doe, then puts the rifle back in the cabinet until the next month, and only goes out when the weather suits him.
Funnily enough the Assessor agreed with me too.
Shooting deer in a fenced area to pass Level 2, and one deer, in my opinion totally devalued Level 2.

Plus they never respond to Emails either.

 

[Deerkeeper2]

More than half of full time employed stalkers don't even take level 2 and to be fair most of them could run rings around those that run the courses

That’s an interesting statistic, I wasn’t aware of that. Can you quote the source please?

 

[Rake Aboot]

Money money money money money !!!

What’s wrong with just having a gun and wanting a full freezer exactly ?
That statement shows where your views lie anyway.

Instead of trading spend the money on fuel to get out beating , that’ll get you more stalking than a sheet of paper

 

[weblyish]

I'm so fed up of hearing how the lv1 is worthless and Lv2 is completely devalued and used to be really rigorous.


I just don't have the option of doing the old one so what am I (or anyone else coming into this now) supposed to do?