SERVICES WE OFFER
Implementing Protective Measures – we can undertake some small-scale fencing or repair ourselves but can also advise on suitable measures such as fencing and tree guarding and introduce land owners to contractors that can undertake larger projects
Photography – Sika deer are magnificent and photogenic animals; we are not photographers ourselves but are able to take wildlife photographers with us and guide them onto deer. This is can be done in conjunction with culling activities or when carrying out impact surveys.
Venison Butchery – Some landowners don’t want to utilise the services of a deer stalker all year round but would like a small number of animals culled and butchered for their own consumption. We can cull the deer and arrange for the carcasses to be butchered.
Short term culling assistance – If a landowner culls deer themselves or already has a deer stalker in place that requires short term assistance during the busier times of year, we are happy to help. We can also provide cover during periods of illness or rehabilitation to ensure the resident stalker can continue culling your deer once they have recovered.
Mentoring – If a landowner or their friend/ family member wants to learn how to undertake deer management on their land but don’t know where to start we can provide mentorship and advise on relevant training & providers. We can provide marksmanship training and accompany you during culling activities until you have the confidence to work on your own.
Impact Surveys – The nocturnal habits of Sika deer can make it difficult to assess how may deer are present in an area. It is possible to assess the damage they are causing to a habitat and monitor these signs. Cull plans can then be implemented or amended to prevent crop damage and allow the local ecosystem to recover.
Create and implement cull plans – We recommend creating a cull plan with landowners to ensure any culling activities are carried out in accordance with their wishes. We believe a landowner should be able to dictate the criteria for culling deer, where and when culls are to occur and specify limits to the number of deer that are culled if required. We understand that although culling deer is often necessary it is rarely a landowner’s main priority. A cull plan should be structured to ensure culling doesn’t interfere with any other business or personal activities taking place on a property.
Reporting and transparency – If we are undertaking a cull, we will provide custom cull reports as per the landowner’s requirements. We actively encourage land owners or their representatives to accompany us during cull activities to give confidence that we are fulfilling our commitments. We also encourage the use of wildlife cameras to monitor our progress
WHAT WE WONT DO
Charge for our services – Recreational deer stalking is an expensive pastime that requires a considerable amount of equipment and associated running costs (Rifles, Scopes, Binoculars, Thermal imagers, ATVs, Fridges, cleaning supplies, ammunition, fuel, electricity etc). Although its possible to recuperate some of these costs through venison sales we do not make a profit and never plan to. Most pastimes cost money to participate in and deer stalking is no different.
Sub-let deer stalking rights or sell guided stalks – There are many ethically ran commercial deer stalking businesses in the area but some take advantage of land owners and profit from not effectively managing deer populations. In order to clearly differentiate ourselves from these individuals we do not accept payment to provide deer stalking to other individuals under any circumstance. If a landowner wishes to offer guided stalks on their land, we are happy to guide clients on their behalf but will not accept payment for doing so.
Make commitments we cannot fulfil – We are happy to discuss and consider any sika management opportunities but won’t undertake a task if we aren’t confident that we can do so effectively. We work with other recreational stalkers that share our ethos and assist us when required. If we don’t have the time or resources to undertake a task, we will introduce you to somebody that does.
Financially compete with commercial deer stalking businesses – We understand that some land owners expect to be paid for deer management rights in order to cover any management costs or ensure that deer stalkers are motivated to recuperate these costs via venison sales. We are happy to enter into these types of arrangement or any other agreement such as sharing venison revenue. We are unlikely to be able to pay as much for deer management rights as a commercial stalking business but we are able to offer a landowner more flexibility, transparency and control of the activities being carried out on their property.
Proactively displace existing recreational stalkers – We believe the solution to managing expanding sika populations is to utilise the services of more recreational deer stalkers, not less. If a landowner is not happy with the service that an incumbent recreational stalker is providing, we suggest using our services to assist them rather than take over their responsibilities. We are particularly keen to ensure that older (and wiser) deer stalkers don’t feel they have to give up stalking because they find the physical aspects of culling challenging. We will do all we can to help them continue so the community can continue to benefit from their skills and experience.