Noted - good point - thanks. I will make sure I have this covered.
You’re very welcome.
It is easy to overlook Element 4, with most Candidates perhaps seeing it as the "easy" bit compared to the stalk and the gralloch, but it carries just as much weight as the other Elements. Whilst there may admittedly be few bragging rights in stalking circles that stem from the ability to accurately maintain cull and larder records, it is still the case that if those Performance Criteria (PC) aren't met, then no DSC2
. Also be sure to pay particular attention to PC 3.2 (Dress deer carcass ready to enter the food chain according to legal requirements) and PC 3.6 (Identify and record status of deer carcass).
There’s a whole separate thread somewhere on here discussing the changes from the old format of DSC2 to the new one, and the reduction from 3 Individual Cull Records (ICR) to just the 1. The general view seemed to be that this was a diminution in terms of standards, and that it somehow devalued the overall awarding of the DSC2.
Without wishing to rake over dead coals, my practical experience to date - whilst limited - suggests the exact opposite. Whereas under the old format the Candidate had three attempts to cover all the PC's, now they realistically have to do everything in just one ICR. That raises the bar somewhat, for both Candidate and AW, as it negates the former get-out of “don’t worry, you can cover that in your next ICR”. The Candidate now has to be demonstrably competent across all PC’s, bar none, and ideally in just the one outing.
For the AW's out there, this also means that you have to be in a position to allow the Candidate to demonstrate that competence, which means the Candidate and AW should have a suitable larder available in reasonably close proximity to the stalking ground. This might be fine for a morning stalk, but an evening stalk in high Summer may be quite another matter, particularly if the larder is not on the stalking ground but adjacent to the AW’s home. Lardering at midnight is hardly conducive to familial harmony at the best of times, let alone when followed by car doors slamming and engines starting as the Candidate excitedly departs for home upon successful completion of their ICR! Also, what used to be a 3-hour stalking outing can now easily turn into a 5 or 6-hour witnessing exercise "from field to chiller". I can certainly see it fuelling the debate as to what a Candidate might realistically expect to pay for a witnessed stalk.
There have always been few practical benefits - if any - in being an AW, with most doing it for largely altruistic reasons, at least in my experience. Once the implications of the new format of DSC2 become better appreciated, I can foresee a possible further reduction in the number of available AW’s, as many may either lack suitable facilities or simply see it as all too much of an effort. Let's hope that is not the case.
