AMA from a deer stalker on countryside management and wildlife

[TooManyAnimals94]

I've been stalking for almost 18 months now. I got into it through my partner who is an experienced stalker of 10 yrs and has several permissions through farmers and landowners to manage deer populations.

I think there are a lot of misconceptions about methods of managing the countryside and the people who do it so I am here to dispel some myths and hopefully have an honest conversation.

My thread is also prompted by the sad case of the stag that was shot in Richmond park after injuring a picnicker. It's a really horrible example of what happens when people don't respect wild animals for what they are.

An odd question but what is your recommendation for the best outdoors trousers for women?

Do you or your partner work freelance or do you have contracts/regular jobs (or whatever they’re called) to cull and manage?

Could you see yourself doing this full time and have you had to get an extra storage for venison?!

That’s not an odd question - it’s excellent 😁

I thought you were a hat. 🤔

Norrona

What are the trees looking like where you are? In the countryside round here, about two thirds are showing signs of stress and some, particularly the silver birches, are in really serious trouble. Some trees look like they aren't going to make it.

Not odd at all! I love my Jack Pyke leggings. Fleecy on the inside and water resistant. They do a summer version as well.
New Forest Clothing often have good deals on them.

Do you use blood tracking dogs and if so, did you buy and train a Bavarian mountain hound or something like that , or did you train your existing dogs?

A combination of the two. His main contract is at a farm where he has sole permission to stalk but it's quite difficult to make money. He has to pay the farmer a lease for the permission which he offsets by managing the shoot for them. He then bolsters his income through taking clients out and selling the venison.

He sometimes gets calls for problem deer (in gardens making a mess of trees and roses) or to dispatch injured ones on the road.

I'm no where near ready to think about going out on my own. Still need to get my firearms certificate which I haven't done because I can't keep guns where I live currently. I also still have so much to learn.

On a practical level, it's physically very demanding. For example, there's no way I could lift a full grown fallow onto a hook on my own.

My aim would be to get my DSC1 and go out on my own just for my own meat consumption.

Do you mean from deer damage or the lack of rain?

We sometimes go out in a plantation and actually, where the deer have nibbled all the lower branches, you can see them better to shoot, plus the trees actually get a bit of height without being bushy at the bottom - if you get the balance just right, the trees and the animals can benefit.

I don't but I'm fascinated by the idea of it. My elderly gun shy beagle comes out with us sometimes (trying to teach her that loud bangs make tasty treats!)
Luckily I've not lost any that needed tracking but a dog is useful if you're in dense undergrowth or recovering in low light.

To what does your username refer?

I own too many animals!

Very interesting AMA, thank you

Are there many ticks where you are and what do you wear/do to stop them tucking into you?

A family member of mine is a stalker and now a ranger for a large national park.
After doing it part time (to fit in with a military job) he has a contract for crown owned estates.

Even though some people are squeamish about practical management (‘it’s so cruel to shoot cute deer’ etc) he’s the most gentlest, caring man who rescues spiders and totally ethical re his consumption of meat. Every part of the deer is used.

Do you ever get any ignorant comments from people who don’t understand?

Ah ok. I wondered if you meant there were too many deer.
Are your animals pets?
If so, I'm amazed you can do what you do. I think the shot usually wounds the deer and then the stalkers find it with the help of dogs to kill it. Is that right?
I'm not being judgemental. I own a dog and feed her meat which most likely had a much worse life but arguably a better death than the deer.
And last question, how is the carcass divided up? What is wasted and what is used and what for?

Lots but a positive side effect of this scorching summer is that they don't like it!

I've found them crawling on me but not had any latch on. I tuck my leggings into my socks and hope for the best 😅

My partner gets loads bless him being out much more than me.

Thanks and good luck with the DSC1.

That's brilliant for your family member. I know a man who would be very envious!

Yes I've had a few comments including a family member blasting me on social media and blocking me.

I think what people don't understand is that you don't enjoy the act of killing something, but giving an animal a good end is important and certainly makes you appreciate your food more.

I turned the car around at the weekend as I saw a deer had been hit and killed but wanted to check if it was a doe and if so was there evidence it was lactating. In these situations its best to check as the local wildlife centre will come out to try to locate the fawns. It was on the other side of the carriageway so I couldn't tell. It was a lovely stag, minus a hind leg. Very sad as it must have suffered. I moved it onto the verge. When you stalk and kill deer do you only kill stags? How do you know you are not killing a doe with offspring hidden away?

So glad I started this thread because in the most polite way you are so wrong!

You never shoot to wound - it would not make any sense. Ideal shot brings the deer down where it is. Sometimes if they've been moving about a lot or their adrenaline is up, they may run on (heart in mouth for those ones, I hate it) but they are just bleeding out and they go down pretty quick.

I don't think it's difficult to have pets and do what I do. My dog wouldn't like to live in the wild with no one to feed her, a deer would not like to curl up on the sofa with me - they are very different.

They are butchered like any farm animal really. The only difference is we usually gralloch them in the field so if I want to keep the liver, heart or any offal (venison pate is very strong but rather nice) I just bag it up there and then. The intestines and inedible bits are left out for the foxes and carrion eaters. The red kites quite often clock us after a kill and hover about.

The carcass then goes to the game dealer who takes off all the different cuts and bags them up. I have a carcass back when my freezer is running low but otherwise it gets sold on to pubs, restaurants and butchers.

How much do you earn per kilogram of venison?.
I was in a car that hit a deer recently - it died instantly thankfully- and very soon after a farmer turned up with a flatbed and loaded on the back. We assumed he took it to the abattoir and were speculating what it would make in £s. It was a large, male roe deer (and it wrote off the car ☹️)

That's very sensible - well done! most roe fawns will be fairly self sufficient by now but the fallow babies are still following their mums around.
You can shoot all year round but there are rules about which sex and species. So at the moment, fallow and roe bucks are in season but you can't shoot the does for the very reason you lay out. Muntjac breed all year round and you can shoot both sexes year round although I am VERY careful with the does and watch their behaviour to see if they're looking back for a fawn. Sadly if one did then walk out behind mum, the kindest thing to do would be to shoot it but I haven't had that unpleasant experience yet.

We don't have any Sika, Chinese Water Deer or Reds but very easy to look up what their seasons are.

We spent all winter following a stag around that we named Stumpy because he had a hind leg missing :( couldn't get a safe shot at him for weeks but eventually got him. He would technically have been out of season but it's a mercy killing in that situation.

@HangryBrickShark just seen your picture. What a shame - he's in his prime! Hopefully made some babies this season before his untimely end.