Shooting knobbers/yearlings

[Squeeze the Trigger.]

Having just looked through Stalking oppertunities, I was very surprised to see that some "stalkers" offer knobbers/yearlings free of charge. This leads me to ask why any potential clients would be remotly interested in shooting yearlings or why any stalker would even offer a yearling to a client?

From a deer forest perspective surely this is bad managment, or are these offers being made by contract killers in forestry blocks who have no interest in managment but only to kill deer.

please enlighten me with your views on how this works in managing a sustainable herd.

 

[stav]

well i,m no expert on deer managment but as a game keeper/stalker surely you must know why??? even i understand the culling reasons and thats as a dumb scaffolder. stav
p.s. someone will come along and explan soon.lol

 

[Squeeze the Trigger.]

you are correct in saying i should know and i do. In to many years to remember whether it be reds on the hill or woodland roe and fallow, clients were never offered the chance to shoot yearlings. why shoot a little staggie, who in a few years will be a bigger staggie.

 

[stag1933]

In any correctly managed herd youngsters are the larger part of a cull plan.

If you can find it look up `the Hoffman Pyramid` management plan.

HWH.

 

[Southdowns_stalking]

My question would be to ask why you think its bad management, you can't tell me you think its good management to leave all the young and just shoot the 'bigger staggie'??

 

[User00003]

JEEEZ, someone please intervene!! LOL.

nah, approx. 60% of culls should be yearlings. that's why...

 

[eggy s]

Here is what I work on and I hope it explains it for you.

Lets assume a population of 100 Roe Deer on a 1 to 1 ratio

I aim to cull 30% of my population each year. That is 30 Roe.

Assuming a healthy birth rate of twins 1:1 ratio, you would cull 50% bucks 50% does. So that is 15 bucks and 15 does.

Of those 15% you want to cull 40% mature animals and 60% young.

Therefore you would be looking to cull 6 Mature Buck 9 Young buck, 6 mature does 9 young does.

I personally only offer Fallow and Muntjac as cull animals because I want them off the ground and I want the clients to take the shots when the opportunity arises.

 

[Tackleberry270]

I don't know so much about managing the herd species. I don't shoot button bucks but If you have a healthy population of Roe with most fertile does producing twins then your cull will arguably work out with taking 60% young(including yearlings) out of your total cull figure.

 

[eggy s]

I don't know so much about managing the herd species. I don't shoot button bucks but If you have a healthy population of Roe with most fertile does producing twins then your cull will arguably work out with taking 60% young(including yearlings) out of your total cull figure.

Sorry Tackleberry, Long day

 

[Southdowns_stalking]

eggy s, Tackleberry did say taking 60% young out of the total cull figure which is what you said your plan was......

 

[User00003]

and of course one of the reasons you take a lot of the yearlings out is to avoid an overpopulation of young bukc (for roe) annoying the older trophy bucks to the point they emmigrate. you want to ensure you keep a good gene pool, which entails keeping the older bucks - envisage it this way, would you stick around a neighbourhood full of neds and hooligans, probably not, you'd bugger off to somewhere quiet.

 

[Heym SR20]

Yearlings - if it's big healthy looking young buck I leave him. If its a scruffy little thing then I take it. Likewise same rational for older animals.

 

[JC275]

Looking at several topics recently, I think it must be close to the opening day of the troll season, a cull is clearly required. I recommend taking 60 percent yearling trolls, 20 percent mature and 20 percent old/trophy trolls. JC

 

[Tackleberry270]

Looking at several topics recently, I think it must be close to the opening day of the troll season, a cull is clearly required. I recommend taking 60 percent yearling trolls, 20 percent mature and 20 percent old/trophy trolls. JC

The ones that are showing some promise of entertainment value should surely be kept?

 

[teyhan1]

Having just looked through Stalking oppertunities, I was very surprised to see that some "stalkers" offer knobbers/yearlings free of charge. This leads me to ask why any potential clients would be remotly interested in shooting yearlings or why any stalker would even offer a yearling to a client?

From a deer forest perspective surely this is bad managment, or are these offers being made by contract killers in forestry blocks who have no interest in managment but only to kill deer.

please enlighten me with your views on how this works in managing a sustainable herd.

I think something may have been missed. The OP refers to "stalkers" offer knobbers/yearlings free of charge. This would suggest that these "stalkers" are taking out people on a regular basis. If they are taking out people then it is in their own interest to get in clients. Now of course most pro stalkers are into taking out big paying clients but you still have to complete your young buck cull. Therefore do you do it yourself or do you get paid £100+ per day for somr=eone else to do it for you. No brainer really!!

If they are pro stalkers be under no illusion that you will only be allowed to cull what they want you to. They will be managing not only the deer but you too. It's just you won't know it

 

[jamross65]

I offered days at spikers/knobbers on sika. One reason only to be honest. It is no more expensive than a day at the hinds and some folk are happy just to get out stalking regardless of what they are shooting at so far more affordable than a day at mature stags...

 

[diverdave]

I offered days at spikers/knobbers on sika. One reason only to be honest. It is no more expensive than a day at the hinds and some folk are happy just to get out stalking regardless of what they are shooting at so far more affordable than a day at mature stags...

Cannot agree more, a new experience, it is my hobby and if i can get a day our for a fair price and enjoy / learn and experience then it is good value for me.

 

[eggy s]

eggy s, Tackleberry did say taking 60% young out of the total cull figure which is what you said your plan was......

Opps I totally misread that, thank you for pointing that out. Long day Apologies to Tackleberry.

 

[bewsher500]

I dont do a lot of paid stalking
mainly because it forces me to do something I am genetically programmed not to do. Open my wallet.

However, if I was offered a days stalking on the hill for say £100 with no additional costs linked to what I shot, to me that presents a great opportunity.
I have been lucky enough to shoot my fair share of big red stags without the huge trophy fees associated with them.
It matters not to me whether I am shooting a yeld hind with a limp, a 3/4 beast from last year or a monster 12 pointer.

you cannot cull from one end of the population triangle without it falling over.

 

[User00003]

you cannot cull from one end of the population triangle without it falling over.

a bit like what will happen to edinburgh financial services if Independence comes our way!