Loss of income from deer damage?

[deermanager1]

Just a random thread this one... we hear about the "overpopulation of deer in the uk" but apart from the woodland grant schemes having the deer and squirrel control supplements to add on to help pay for the control of both, why is there no help for loss of earnings from crop damage?..

In my view, if there was a bit of funding then perhaps farmers who are suffering could get in professional deer controllers to reduce numbers.. instead of having people paying for the privilege of shooting deer on their land and not culling enough?.

Thoughts??

 

[Midnight plough boy]

Have a fallow deer problem (upto 600 on 200 acres in 2022) as they weren’t being controlled during covid as the main market (London restaurants) weren’t taking any through Covid.

Now letting a decent, reliable couple of stalkers sourced through the Deer Society spring out the culling. No charge either way as long as they can take the carcasses. Totally safe, plenty of good references. They’ve had 240 fallow and 62 Muntjack off the land and split the rest of the herd up.

No funding needed, just a bit of communication.

 

[yellow belly]

once herds of fallow get large 50 plus up to several hundred they take a lot of effort to bring the number down 100 plus eyes watching

most herds are majority femails because of culling males is easier
with female groups a 50% cull every year only keeps numbers level
round here there are many woods giving them shelter and some land owners will not cull giving fallow a sanctury

the deer also learn where it is not safe and can spot someone with a rifle from a long way
people walking without a rifle can get very close 50 yards but stalkers cannot get close
the deer also work out to go to places deer cannot be shot safely

we also have a big problem with deer poachers who drive round at night with dogs to pull deer down a very cruel way

the crop losses are considerable often the worst is in the 3 weeks before harvest where the deer eat the top of every head especially next to woodland

 

[Spencer]

once herds of fallow get large 50 plus up to several hundred they take a lot of effort to bring the number down 100 plus eyes watching

most herds are majority femails because of culling males is easier
with female groups a 50% cull every year only keeps numbers level
round here there are many woods giving them shelter and some land owners will not cull giving fallow a sanctury

the deer also learn where it is not safe and can spot someone with a rifle from a long way
people walking without a rifle can get very close 50 yards but stalkers cannot get close
the deer also work out to go to places deer cannot be shot safely

we also have a big problem with deer poachers who drive round at night with dogs to pull deer down a very cruel way

the crop losses are considerable often the worst is in the 3 weeks before harvest where the deer eat the top of every head especially next to woodland

Hand guns then