Jelen Advanced Deer course/ Views?

[Antonyweeks]

Hi
I'm thinking about enrolling on Jelen's advanced deer management course. Just wondered if anyone else had done this and what were folks' experiences of Jelen were? In non stalking professional lif sometimes 3rd party training providers can be a touch money focused rather than knowledge focused. The course looks great but at £500 or so is going to be an investment.

 

[imnotrucknut]

Hi
I'm thinking about enrolling on Jelen's advanced deer management course. Just wondered if anyone else had done this and what were folks' experiences of Jelen were? In non stalking professional lif sometimes 3rd party training providers can be a touch money focused rather than knowledge focused. The course looks great but at £500 or so is going to be an investment.

Ouch...I think bds is £400

 

[TH4]

Mike isn't the cheapest, he never has been but he knows his stuff and runs very good courses.

 

[monarman]

I can vouch for the course..... very good and probably even better now than when I did it... Mike is continually developing and improving his training material and he doe know his stuff!... if you're serious about improving your deer management knowledge I would definitely do the jelen/pws course...

 

[Ajax]

Just completed this course and found it to be well worth the money imo, Mike, Elliott and the rest of his team couldn't do enough and help was there when ever required.
A very professional set up and extremely knowledgeable imo.
Hope this helps

 

[baguio]

Mike is a really decent and knowledgeable bloke. However, I done the course with the BDS and found that they also put together a team of extremely knowledgeable instructors, who, along with the students on the course, made for a really enjoyable 3 days. It's no holiday though! There's a lot to learn. I knew quite a bit of it but also didn't know much at all about some subjects such as Park Deer.
I went down to the New Forest with a friend off here and we stayed in the same pub which meant that we could study together in the evenings. It wasn't so that we could get on it that's for sure although we did have a couple of pints each evening to help relax. I find that this method of study works well for me. We both achieved distinctions so it clearly worked.
I'm sure that whoever you book with will serve you well. Good luck!

 

[Dickie]

What are you hoping to get from the course? As you say £500 is quite an investment if you’re just stalking the same patch successfully or doing paid stalks.

 

[griff]

Who recognises the qualification?
Is this going to be FC/FLS requirements..

 

[monarman]

Its a Lantra approved course and like any certified yraining it helps towards employment or attaining permissions and would limely be looked on as extra poi t when tendering for leases.
It helped me when I applied for the job I have now (Wildlife, deer and countryside manager on a 15k acre estate) and the training has served me well within my job and ive advised other landowners at their request knowing I have the relevant training (and 26 years experience)....

 

[monarman]

I now need a course on how to type on this phone.........

 

[White Hart]

I did this course with Jelen some time ago and it was good, what helps is the location of Mikes facility at Chilbolton and the access he has to park deer and woodland / farmland etc all within a small radius to practically go look at things. So I guess that's all added value stuff not all PowerPoint and books.

 

[rutland]

Great course I really enjoyed it. I learnt a lot. Mike is a really nice guy who manages to put you at ease and presents the course in a nice friendly professional atmosphere. As also mentioned he has great access to park farmed and woodland scenarios. Well worth it In my opinion.

 

[willie_gunn]

Ouch...I think bds is £400

The BDS course is currently £425, see Deer Management Course - The British Deer Society

I did mine some years ago at Elveden. Back then the course lasted a full week and included an optional shooting test, but these days I think the course is shorter and may not include any actual shooting.

Regardless of provider, I think anyone with a strong interest in deer and deer management, and who wants to improve their overally knowledge, will find the course useful. It looks at deer from a much more rounded perspective than just stalking, including incorporating the perspective of foresters, farmers, landowners and other stakeholders. As with all these courses, it also gives the opportunity to meet some similarly like-minded people.

As to the value of having done the course, I have certainly found it beneficial. The estate where we stalk is increasingly involved in active woodland management, and for their dealings with organisations like FSC I have found the knowledge gained puts you on a much better footing.

Understandably, not everyone with an interest in deer necessarily wants to get involved with the management aspect - which is fine - and those who don't interact with the estate owners and just want to go out occasionally and shoot deer might want to put the money towards a couple of stalks instead.