time for level2

[stone]

Stone,

Depending on which way I drive to work Warwckshire area may be a possibilty.

thank you for your kind offer i will be in touch as soon as i have registered for level 2 ,

thanks also sikamalc
but not sure i could afford the beer bill

 

[swampy]

gentlemen

Well I am delighted by the responses i have had to this and i thank you all for your offers. I will be in contact shortly.

Thanks chaps.

steve

 

[smithp18]

Thanks to everyone

Like swampy who posted the topic, I can only say thanks to all the offers and help offered on this site by kind like minded people it’s truly amazing.
I was one of the people Sikamalc offered stalking to last year, but was not able to attend through work, hopefully I will get a second invitation, I did speak to one who managed to make the trip, yes Mr B himself.. People like sikamalc the AW offering to help are few and far between in my experience and the generosity is a credit to the sport and this site.

Once again thanks

Phil

 

[newbie]

Hello gentlemen I too have been thinking of doing the DSC2 but i have to be honest and say i just can`t justify the expence if i was going to do stalking as a full time professional and earn my living by it plus selling the meat to the public then yes but i`m not the only advantage for me as i see it it will give me access to F/C land who are making a lot of money from it having said that from what i have read on this site the F/C are not that bothered about deer their business is trees and if needs must they will send in night shooters to clear the population of deer a bit like a farmer with a rabbit problem he asks you to shoot rabbits until there are none left because they are eating his grass where as you like to leave some for the next year i.e manage them,Anything i want to know i can ask you guys or go on line or buy a book with little expence infact i would rather ask you guys because you have the experience and the knowledge however i could be totally wrong and looking at it from a negative point of veiw what do you think.
Regards
Bill

 

[sikamalc]

Many landowners, especially the FC will require you to have Level 2 before committing to a lease. However I would advise you to get plenty of hands on experience in stalking before taking Level 2. I am personally suprised sometimes by some people who go straight into Level 2 with maybe only a handfull of deer under their belt and who quite clearly are not prepared for the next step. Not that I am implying this is the case with yourself.

Regards

Sikamalc

 

[newbie]

Thanks for the reply Sikamalc and no offense taken infact i would agree with you,Dressing an animal of any discription is not a problem for me as i spent some years in a abattoir which was on a industrial scale as for my stalking i`m no Kalahari bush man but i have been told that i should have no problem stalking in close enough to take the shot,As i retire in three years time i will not be taking out a lease or become a full time professional stalker,Having passed the D.S.C1 Of which i felt under some pressure to sign up to as the firearms are now in some areas insisting on before they will issue a veriation for a deer rifle to be honest i think it will be rolled out nation wide and it could put a lot of people of applying for a veriation for a deer rifle just to much hassale and as a recreational stalker i would have to say deer managment is stretching it a bit as i get out maybe four or five times a year for three days at a time to manage properly you have to be there on a regular basis with a six hour trip in front of me and B/B to pay for thats not really feasible,Unlike say fishing where you buy your rods reels ect ect then get a BAA card for about sixty pounds and more or less fish allmost anywhere in the country however on the other hand deer stalking it seems like the ABBA song money money money my first year alone must have cost me a thousand pounds and more not including my rifle so would it be fair to say that deer stalking could become the preserve of the more prosperous in society shall we say.
Regards

 

[roestalker]

Morning all, Just to clarify the DSC 2 for everyone.
The new portfolio is edition 6 which ha sbeen out at least since last year.There are now no longer Credible Witnesses. All 3 ICR's in the portfolio(Independant Cull Record) now have to be witnessed and signed off by an Approved Witness. Those with the old edition 5 and previous portfolio's may still use Credible Witnesses but most of those have now run out of time. You have 3 years in which to complete the portfolio.
Keep any past evidence for the portfolio eg. game dealer receipts, cull records etc. When your portfolio gets sent in the assessor will look at these to verify the evidence of stalking etc.
In the ICR, in the stalking and shot element 1 & 2 if you have a number of deer under your belt this is probably the most straight forward part for most,that is if you get deer in front of you!

Just work toward making sure that the gralloch, larder and prep work are hygenic and efficient, that doesn't mean fast and expert there is no hurry to complete a gralloch. Also despite what many may tell you there is more than one method to gralloch a deer, there are several different methods for the field gralloch and the full gralloch etc. So as long as you are seen by an AW to have a method and not look as if you are groping about in the dark that should be ok with the AW, that is what I look for. From now , if you done' already do so, use the same methods every time, so you get into a routine, that really does show on an AW stalk.

When you do complete an ICR make sure the AW fills in his narrative which is confirmation of your narrative of the stalk etc, that is always a great help to an assessor when he receives the portfolio.

If you can get someone to show you what you are looking for as you carry out the gralloch that is alway a good idea.

The advice from Wadashot about not being tempted to rush is spot on.

I hope that helps, go for it Swampy, above all enjoy it and good luck. If you feel you need any advice PM me and I am happy to give it.

 

[bewsher500]

it dosn`t look good to your assessor if you do all your stalks over 1 weekend.

Why not?
It shouldnt make any difference whatsoever. it is an evaluation not a demonstration of time served or commitment.
With DSC1 and 20+ years stalking under my belt I am buggered if I am going to waste time spending more money on three separate days/weekends if I can get it done over one during a hind cull.

 

[DL]

Looks like a bit of thread necrophilia has taken place here!

Swampy got his Level 2 in 2009.

 

[redstag01]

just a reply to one of above posts all 3 stalks have to be with an approved witness now a credible witnees will not do.I will do it for expences or will swop for fallow buck for all 3

 

[LJT40]

As a professional stalker and a holder of level 1 and 2 i will offer to witness within reason anyone who is working towards their Level 2, no charge, except for fuel, and travelling expenses.

But I am not driving 200 plus miles so anywhere within the Kent, Sussex and Essex area.

Now how about some one else offering to help !!

Maybe swampy could contact someone local to him off the list that he will recieve when he registers. This way it may keep expenses to a minimum. Just a thought.

M

 

[LJT40]

Sorry just realised the age of this thread!