PEST CONTROL

Our stalking expert Al Gabriel unravels the new Scottish legislation on deer stalking in that country, and separates the good from the bad

THE recent amendments that have passed Scottish parliament with regards to deer bring about some of the most radical changes to deer management in Great Britain. This comes at a time when global warming is at the centre of most governments’ agendas, where terms like ‘carboncapture’ or ‘carbon sequestration’ are seamlessly woven into everyday conversation.

The Scottish government has suggested three major amendments to the management of deer in Scotland, which involve the removal of a closed season for male deer, permitting the use of thermal or light intensifying equipment at night, and reducing the bullet weight required to cull red deer, fallow, and sika to 80gr. The amendments are aimed at improving overall cull numbers, but not everyone agrees. All three amendments will come into effect this year. Such changes have come about from the notion that there are too many deer in Scotland, and that trees are struggling to take hold as a result of overgrazing. Numerous studies indicate that Scottish tree cover and biodiversity is not where it should be. But how deer have come to be at the centre of that story is not clear. We don’t know how many deer there are in Scotland, but the number being thrown around is one million. Land usage such as farming and millions of sheep have also impacted the ecosystem. Why are the crosshairs solely aimed at deer? The idea that trees planted somewhere in Scotland and the eradication of deer provide carte blanche to then pump 400 million tonnes of CO2 per year is nonsense. Carbon offsetting and greenwashing schemes cooked up by financial institutions are making matters worse. I am all for increased tree cover, but it must be the right type of tree in the right area. Blanket tree planting is nothing short of moronic.

Pining

I had the pleasure of watching a recent film that was released by one of the Scottish conservation charities: tree-mania has taken hold in Scotland. Such efforts seem to ignore the traditional Scottish sporting estate, which provides valuable income and employment to isolated rural communities. Those in power seem to think they know better.

Red stags are the bedrock of sporting estates, which draw in visitors from all over the world. Indiscriminate culling of stags all year round threatens that economic model, with no alternatives proposed by those in power. It is a shame that a Scottish icon ly evolved ungulates are part of the Scottish heritage and landscape, and they must not be made to pay for issues arising elsewhere.

Most stake holders, including deer management groups and shooting organisations, have all raised concerns with the impact of culling male deer all year round. And most stake holders recognise that it will only have a minimal impact on reducing population numbers and that it is female deer that we should focus on for appropriate deer control. There is no scientific evidence to support the culling of male deer in reducing deer populations in Scotland. The main concern arises from the fact that most poli- ing 100 grain copper bullets, it significantly helps increase capacity in the number of people who can take part in deer management. While there are some debates about the effectiveness of light bullets on large stags, from a policy and capacity point of view I think it is a good thing. such as red deer has become public enemy number one. Speak to professional stalkers in remote parts of Scotland and you will soon discover that tree planting and re-wilding ideas, which may seem innocuous on paper, are becoming a real concern.

There are currently only two brands that I know of that cater for 100 grain copper bullets. It is nearly impossible to stabilise 100gr copper bullets in the common twist rate of .243 rifle. Given the popularity of .243 it would be a shame to lose many stalkers who may not be able to afford a new rifle, or to affect newcomers. The utilisation of thermal imagery or light intensification scopes is also a positive thing, which brings standardisation across all nations. Night shooting will always pose more risk, but as long as the licence is issued to competent shooters it will help with deer management. The combination of lighter 80gr bullet and a thermal imaging scope, for example, can potentially increase the deer welfare issues which some have raised. I think that is a valid concern and only time will tell.

Culling

The most contentious of the amendments is the culling of male deer all year round. You only need to monitor public forums to note that many have committed to continue to follow the traditional dates, irrespective of what the law says. The ability to cull male deer out of season was always there under licence. Was the change even necessary? These high- cymakers aren’t seeing deer as a valuable asset to the people of Scotland. There is a sense that deer are being prosecuted or, at the very least, being seen as pests. There is also the issue with shooting deer out of season where the venison quality is not optimal, since thin stags are not ideal. There is also the unintended consequence of the price of a stag if stags are shot all year round. It might even interfere with hind culling in winter should visitors choose to focus on stags instead.

Lighter touch

The legal use of 80 grain bullets to cull larger species is a positive move. Given the difficulties of sourc-

Whichever way you dissect it we are certainly entering a new era in deer management in Scotland. The sustainability of the traditional sporting estate and the steeped culture associated with it, in the eyes of many that have lived it, is at risk. Hopeless policies and the incentivisation of ill-conceived carbon offsetting and greenwashing schemes by corporates are only going to accelerate the issue. The fact that large swathes of Scotland are owned by a few individuals who may wish to enact the wrong kind of green policies is a clear and present danger. Deer are a sustainable resource that are key to the Scottish landscape. The real problem lies with the polluters and carbon emitters: humans. GTN GTN