Land Owners - Deer Culling

[bottletopbill]

When i go to the farm most times i see no one but the camera will pick up where i park.
I have also taken my mate who is a met police officer but that is for shooting targets as f all to shoot but as i say it is a perm.
But at least i can walk around with a gun in case i see anything.

 

[nick...]

Yes they do but it’s really an American disease, it’s called chronic wasting disease or CWD, not to be confused with the abbreviation for Chinese water deer also known as CWD.

I’m afraid those figures are a little out, not many roe will go 20kg on the hook, and £2:50 per kg is too too money, certainly right now where it’s hard to even give them away.

exactly how it should be, build a reliable and trustworthy relationship that works for all parties

I’ve some places they insist on a text to know I’m around, and I’ve other places they don’t and happy for me to just turn up whenever (I always make a point my vehicle is in an obvious place if I don’t see them), whatever the rules, you either choose to abide by them or look elsewhere, really is that simple.
Reds are not rutting now, that would have finished, but they are very transient species and do cover the ground during rut season, so not unheard of they dissapear for a while before returning.

which part of the country are you in, the Chinese are spreading further each year, but to have Chinese and red on the same ground is unusual so guessing Norfolk direction.

I don’t know you or your ground, but 10 beasts a season is quite low so it must be reasonably well under control or they would be visiting more often.

Yes I’m in south norfolk.I see several deer everytime I walk my dogs and saw 3 roe this morning.got over 30 acres of wild bird seed areas and deer are allways in there but difficult to see them.also 30 acres of meadows heavily wooded and allways deer there too.biggest issue is a foot path right through middle of farm and too many people walk where they want which don’t help.I know the stalkers could shoot more but they dont want to wipe them all out.often see dead animals on side of road and they are often being hit by cars too.
nick…

 

[bottletopbill]

My perm is over 200 acres and would love something to move in to shoot more tree rats than anything else.

But at least i have a perm and can practice up 200m deer targets. so i am spoilt in that way

 

[Free range Rob]

Yes I’m in south norfolk.I see several deer everytime I walk my dogs and saw 3 roe this morning.got over 30 acres of wild bird seed areas and deer are allways in there but difficult to see them.also 30 acres of meadows heavily wooded and allways deer there too.biggest issue is a foot path right through middle of farm and too many people walk where they want which don’t help.I know the stalkers could shoot more but they dont want to wipe them all out.often see dead animals on side of road and they are often being hit by cars too.
nick…

I’ve two farms with the wild bird mix on and it’s like a magnet for the deer, still it helps me as I know which areas to check first

footpaths are nothing new, think I only have one farm without some form of public access, it’s the ones who ignore the paths and wander where they like that bug me, usually with dogs running riot and leaving crap everywhere
I don’t think I know a stalker, landowner or member of the public that want to wipe anything out, and in truth, that would be mission impossible as the deer just move off into a safer area, it’s surprising how they feel the pressure and know what ground is relatively safe and which to avoid.

If you are seeing plenty of rta in the area then you still have plenty

 

[ImLost]

I’ve two farms with the wild bird mix on and it’s like a magnet for the deer, still it helps me as I know which areas to check first

footpaths are nothing new, think I only have one farm without some form of public access, it’s the ones who ignore the paths and wander where they like that bug me, usually with dogs running riot and leaving crap everywhere
I don’t think I know a stalker, landowner or member of the public that want to wipe anything out, and in truth, that would be mission impossible as the deer just move off into a safer area, it’s surprising how they feel the pressure and know what ground is relatively safe and which to avoid.

If you are seeing plenty of rta in the area then you still have plenty

Is there something specific within the wild bird mixes that they are after?

 

[Free range Rob]

Is there something specific within the wild bird mixes that they are after?

Hard to be certain, but vetch is a firm favourite with them, I’m pretty sure they like the variety and change it offers
Anything with buckwheat and chicory in is also a magnet for them

 

[bottletopbill]

Got a few footpaths on my perm but do the walkers stick to them no .
They just seem to think they have the right to be there and not me .
And let the dogs run wild with sheep in the fields.

 

[t.eddie]

I'd echo the sentiment on this thread, trust is hard earned but once there is a fantastic thing. The farms I shoot for deer (and any other legal quarry the farmer wants taken) is from a friend who is the farm manager and I text him every time I plan to be out, usually a few days before to check it's not going to be an issue then let him know when I'm on site and what was taken if anything even though he says I don't need it just feels like the right thing to do.

I also give him some venison back butchered and packed as I was signed off as a food business as well as talk him through what I've seen I.e more or less seen, any looking injured, damage to gates/ fences or crops as well as tracks (I've found horses tracks where no horse should be and turned out the hunt had ridden through with no permission which I confirmed with one of my trail cameras)

 

[nick...]

In my wild bird mix there is quinoa,red and white millet,sunflowers,triticale and spring barley and I allways chuck some phacelia in for colour and the bees.got plenty of vetch in with clover and do see it getting grazed by deer occasionally but pidgeons seem to love it
nick…

 

[Surgery]

They are a massive problem here, I’d be in favour of a cull
Our stalkers are struggling to dispose of the carcasses as the Game dealers are full of them
Nearly 200 shot here this year over 3000 acres and we still have numbers like this
Nationally the Deer population is the highest it’s ever been

View attachment 1114254

I can remember many years ago going to Cantleys who farmed back of wantage , never hardly see a deer at that point let alone a heard of them.

 

[Free range Rob]

In my wild bird mix there is quinoa,red and white millet,sunflowers,triticale and spring barley and I allways chuck some phacelia in for colour and the bees.got plenty of vetch in with clover and do see it getting grazed by deer occasionally but pidgeons seem to love it
nick…

Sounds a very similar mix to ours, we do get an awful lot of bees on it as well which is great to see.
I shall dig out the label and check everything in it.
My place is permanent pasture with a lot of clover, the pigeons are often feeding hard on that as well.

 

[T Hectares]

I can remember many years ago going to Cantleys who farmed back of wantage , never hardly see a deer at that point let alone a heard of them

Cantley’s were at Farnborough, that’s right where some of the biggest herds are still today

 

[Venatio]

Yes they do but it’s really an American disease, it’s called chronic wasting disease or CWD, not to be confused with the abbreviation for Chinese water deer also known as CWD.

I’m afraid those figures are a little out, not many roe will go 20kg on the hook, and £2:50 per kg is too too money, certainly right now where it’s hard to even give them away.

exactly how it should be, build a reliable and trustworthy relationship that works for all parties

I’ve some places they insist on a text to know I’m around, and I’ve other places they don’t and happy for me to just turn up whenever (I always make a point my vehicle is in an obvious place if I don’t see them), whatever the rules, you either choose to abide by them or look elsewhere, really is that simple.
Reds are not rutting now, that would have finished, but they are very transient species and do cover the ground during rut season, so not unheard of they dissapear for a while before returning.

which part of the country are you in, the Chinese are spreading further each year, but to have Chinese and red on the same ground is unusual so guessing Norfolk direction.

I don’t know you or your ground, but 10 beasts a season is quite low so it must be reasonably well under control or they would be visiting more often.

Entirely dependent on where you are in the country, Rob - as you’re no doubt aware. £2.50 per kg is still the going rate at our game dealer and local butchers, who we sell to regularly. Agree re 20kg being top side for roe, it was just an example and 20kg is where the maths landed for the basis of calculation to work - i.e. 50 / 2.5. We’re based in the Surrey Hills and full time deer managers, fallow haven’t flooded our localised market, so rates remain unchanged here.

All the best
Chris

 

[Free range Rob]

totally agree, location changes a lot.

sounds like your lucky in your area, fallow have dropped to the point 2 dealers won’t even take them FOC now, and the rest are paying such a pittance it’s shocking.

I have contacts in east and West Sussex, Devon and Dorset, Lancashire, Yorkshire and over in Scotland and all those are having the same issue now.
butchers prices do tend to stay a lot more stable, but simply not enough going out the door to be a really good outlet.
If things get any worse I may bring a truckload down and sell to your dealers

 

[bottletopbill]

This is not going to help bring the numbers of deer down.
Can see more doing paid stalks and so much for a shot deer to take home to make ends meet.

 

[t.eddie]

This is one of the reasons I'm very open when taking to people about deer managment and oftentimes the conversion ends in them wanting to try venison. I got signed off as a food business to ensure I can legally give some to friends and family and sell to butchers. If everyone did this I'm sure it would help reduce numbers and waste, alternatively take people you trust out that would keep a carcass or two but that would still need the odd day with no guiding and just managment

 

[bottletopbill]

But for the antis the kill is feeding other's and not just a kill for sport.
But the law is confusing as with my DSC1 i can give a deer but can not remove the skin or butcher it in sections.
But need to get a perm with deer on the land or do a stalk again to be able to give venison for folks to try.

 

[t.eddie]

But for the antis the kill is feeding other's and not just a kill for sport.
But the law is confusing as with my DSC1 i can give a deer but can not remove the skin or butcher it in sections.
But need to get a perm with deer on the land or do a stalk again

It's quite straightforward getting signed off as a food business to allow the movement of the meat/ carcass and everyone supplying anything should be if I remember correctly

 

[bottletopbill]

Will be looking into a butchering course and other courses to be able to supply venison

 

[t.eddie]

Will be looking into a butchering course and other courses to be able to supply venison

Youtube is a good tool for this as well especially when doing it for your own meat as doesn't matter if you make a mistake etc it's like anything the more you do the better/ more natural it becomes
Good luck