Your Dsc 2 experience s how did you find it ?

[marrajack]

I enjoyed doing the stalking and had a really good AW and took my time to drill the lymph nodes into my thick heed.
The forms were a total pain as I have I pad not compatible with the docs and assessor wasn’t happy taking them in word format, but got there


Still waiting for the dreaded phone call and not sure what I will be asked to be honest, so any tips for me to revise very welcome

I thought I had done the hard bit when I shot and gralloched the deer and was observed ha

Hope it’s worth it though - in fact it has been if I am honest

Good luck anyone starting on it

 

[Nots so bad lad]

I enjoyed doing the stalking and had a really good AW and took my time to drill the lymph nodes into my thick heed.
The forms were a total pain as I have I pad not compatible with the docs and assessor wasn’t happy taking them in word format, but got there


Still waiting for the dreaded phone call and not sure what I will be asked to be honest, so any tips for me to revise very welcome

I thought I had done the hard bit when I shot and gralloched the deer and was observed ha

Hope it’s worth it though - in fact it has been if I am honest

Good luck anyone starting on it

Good luck pal

 

[Koenig]

Without wishing to hijack this thread, I too will shortly undergo the DSC2 programme. I realise that the syllabus has recently changed with more of an emphasis on meat hygiene and after shot handling. Does anyone here have access to the training objectives? Or is that all supplied in your pack when you register?

 

[willie_gunn]

Without wishing to hijack this thread, I too will shortly undergo the DSC2 programme. I realise that the syllabus has recently changed with more of an emphasis on meat hygiene and after shot handling. Does anyone here have access to the training objectives? Or is that all supplied in your pack when you register?

The DMQ website contains numerous downloads that are made available for both DSC2 Candidates as well as AW’s, including copies of eICR’s and various briefings:

Downloads – Deer Management Qualification

Reviewing this material will provide a lot of insight into the DSC2 requirements. For example, pages 55 to 61 of the ePortfolio Candidate Narrative take you through what’s expected for all the PC’s in Element 4 Transport and Store Dead Deer.

If you review these documents, together with the Best Practice Guidance, you should have everything you need (England and Wales version below, separate Scottish guidance also available):

Best practice guides | The Deer Initiative

www.thedeerinitiative.co.uk

 

[timbrayford]

Good afternoon gentlemen and ladies shortly I will be registering to do dsc level 2 any advice welcome please ? How did the experience go for you ? Was it as expected? Did you find it easier? Or harder been witnessed and assessed? One thing I am trying to get my head round is the lymph nodes ? Which ones are they likely to ask you about please ?

The hardest thing I found was the Q & A sessions, you need to be able to recall just about everything you learned in DSC 1 and be able to relate it to various scenarios. The practical stuff was pretty much straight forward, the approaching deer and placing a safe humane shot was perhaps the lesser part and turning the dead deer into meat fit to enter the food chain the greater. In this respect I found gaining some practical experience gralloching on a deer park cull particularly useful.

 

[timbrayford]

I had lots of good experiences doing my level 2, my AW had plenty of ground available for me to do my 3 stalks and there was no pressure
time scale-wise, I used to get a phone call or a text asking, what are you doing this evening after work, do you want to go out stalking?
Well yes was the answer obviously from me.
The hardest part for me was doing the portfolio, I'm not very good at getting things down on paper, and my spelling is schite at the best of times anyway.
Take your time and enjoy it the same as I did .

Allowances are made for inarticulate English and bad spelling!

 

[willie_gunn]

Allowances are made for inarticulate English and bad spelling!

Indeed. The Candidate is being assessed for their ability "to demonstrate their knowledge and competence in legally, safely and humanely culling deer and dealing with carcasses hygienically", not for their knowledge and competence in the English language, grammar or spelling!

That said, as a Candidate (and indeed an AW) you do of course want the ICR to be both readable and understandable by the Assessor. So read it through a few times before you submit it. If you think it might help, ask a family member or friend to read it too. Better to catch any errors or inconsistencies before submission.

Candidates might also find it a worthwhile exercise to fill out a few ICR's for other deer they've culled, before they do the one for the witnessed stalk, so they become familiar with how the eiCR works. It all helps to minimise pressure for those who may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with completing these forms electronically. Also make sure you always download the latest version from the DMQ website, as it has gone through numerous iterations:

https://www.dmq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ICR-V9a-April-2021-Editable.pdf

Do keep in mind, though, that the AW is not allowed to see the Candidate's ICR for the witnessed stalk, and nor can the Candidate see the AW's version.

The two versions are submitted independently and then compared by the Assessor, who will/may interview both the Candidate and the AW over the phone and talk them through their respective copies

 

[roaring_stag]

I recently (September 2021) did my Level 2.

Got in touch with AW in Perthshire through the AW list. He suggested we went out on a stalk for him to see what level I was at. I was a little bit worried/nervous at first about being 'watched' and followed when stalking etc but it was absolutely fine. Back at larder, the AW had saved a whole load of heads, plucks etc from previous days for us to look at together - this was great to consolidate the knowledge relating to lymphatic system and identification.

After that first stalk with him, the AW assured me that I was competent enough to go on and do the real assessed stalk the next time we went out.

About a week later, we went out, did the ICR. I wrote up the online report, and the AW sent the ICR to my appointed assessor (the online portfolio stuff is a little clumsy but not too bad).

Around 2 weeks later, my assessor got in touch via email and we had a 25 minute phone conversation about what I had done on the stalk and some additional questions.

4 days after that, I got the certificate through in the post.

All in all, the process was great, I learnt a lot, and was happy enough with the online portfolio bit. I would say the key is to find an AW who is happy to take the time to go through things with you first, rather than just heading straight out on the assessed stalk.

Hope that helps (for what it is worth!)

T

 

[Koenig]

The DMQ website contains numerous downloads that are made available for both DSC2 Candidates as well as AW’s, including copies of eICR’s and various briefings:

Downloads – Deer Management Qualification

Reviewing this material will provide a lot of insight into the DSC2 requirements. For example, pages 55 to 61 of the ePortfolio Candidate Narrative take you through what’s expected for all the PC’s in Element 4 Transport and Store Dead Deer.

If you review these documents, together with the Best Practice Guidance, you should have everything you need (England and Wales version below, separate Scottish guidance also available):

Best practice guides | The Deer Initiative

www.thedeerinitiative.co.uk

Many thanks WG.

 

[Nots so bad lad]

I recently (September 2021) did my Level 2.

Got in touch with AW in Perthshire through the AW list. He suggested we went out on a stalk for him to see what level I was at. I was a little bit worried/nervous at first about being 'watched' and followed when stalking etc but it was absolutely fine. Back at larder, the AW had saved a whole load of heads, plucks etc from previous days for us to look at together - this was great to consolidate the knowledge relating to lymphatic system and identification.

After that first stalk with him, the AW assured me that I was competent enough to go on and do the real assessed stalk the next time we went out.

About a week later, we went out, did the ICR. I wrote up the online report, and the AW sent the ICR to my appointed assessor (the online portfolio stuff is a little clumsy but not too bad).

Around 2 weeks later, my assessor got in touch via email and we had a 25 minute phone conversation about what I had done on the stalk and some additional questions.

4 days after that, I got the certificate through in the post.

All in all, the process was great, I learnt a lot, and was happy enough with the online portfolio bit. I would say the key is to find an AW who is happy to take the time to go through things with you first, rather than just heading straight out on the assessed stalk.

Hope that helps (for what it is worth!)

T

Thank you

 

[Ben rodge]

I completed my dsc2 this year and I didn't find it to much of an issue
Make sure you read up on your diseases and lymph node locations etc and you should be fine .there's some good feild guides available which don't cost alot which can really help you out
Choose a good aw (I used Adrian curnock) .
Arrive with a plan in mind for the morning / evening and I'm sure all will be fine

 

[Buchan]

@Nots so bad lad this is where I got all my learning:

Home | Wild Deer Best Practice Guidance

www.bestpracticeguides.org.uk

Submaxillary, retropharyngeal and mesenteric lymph nodes are the ones that you need to locate.

Bronchial, mediastinal, portal are important too

 

[Jax]

I included personal cull records and letters from deer park managers who I had offered to help to get experience. I literally got asked one question on the phone call. I can’t recall what it was, but it was almost a yes/no answer. The call was probably 5 mins as a result.

I shot 2 x roe and 1 x CWD for the three stalks. If I had to do it again, I’d try go after fallow does as the nodes are much easier to find and sorting out the back end is easier than bucks, in my view. On the flip side, extraction of smaller deer is much easier when put in to a clean roe sack. You can ask the AW to assist with extraction of larger deer if I recall correctly though. If gralloching before moving, you would benefit from a sled or drag mat for larger deer to avoid contamination.

Gralloching experience and practicing taking head and feet off will be worth it’s weight in gold.

 

[Kjf]

No mither at all , your AW will know within half an hour if your capapable or not ,

Most of em are human , and want you to pass , if you have NO knowledge, they will clock you a mile off , and tell you to come back when you are ready

It's not all , just a cash cow , MOST AW 's want good guys n gals to carry on our stalking ,and let it be in good hands for the future

And I'm still learning , if you listen and soak it all in , and show that ,Most AW's will be honest and mentor you, with no hidden agendas or charges, these are the good guys

Kjf

 

[takbok]

Bronchial, mediastinal, portal are important too

Thanks, I do know the names and general locations although can't always find them.

 

[Reloader708]

Did mine through my workplace, the biggest stress was actually finding deer especially when the witness had travelled a distance.
Saw loads the weeks before then they just vanished.

 

[Buchan]

Thanks, I do know the names and general locations although can't always find them.

If you can't find them, that's good. (Assuming one is looking in the right place)

The submandibular are obvious as are the mesenteric - because they are always "working"
The bronchial, mediastinal, portal are more of a challenge, but if you do find them easily and they are bigger than a broad bean, regard that as a "heads up"

 

[takbok]

If you can't find them, that's good. (Assuming one is looking in the right place)

The submandibular are obvious as are the mesenteric - because they are always "working"
The bronchial, mediastinal, portal are more of a challenge, but if you do find them easily and they are bigger than a broad bean, regard that as a "heads up"

Thanks for the info, very useful. Much obliged.

 

[Shootgun]

Did my DSC 2 with one of the best stalkers and AW i know... He is harsh but fair, no bull

2 outings , 3 deer, in a space of 9 days, at a cost of a tank of diesel... Job done !

A lot of pressure to deliver and not let my UK mentor down, but i went prepared having shot over 100 beasts at the time of registering

 

[User00028]

AW if anyone is Norfolk Suffolk based and needs assistance