Kilkenny 'wild deer hotspot' gets deer management unit

FRS Co-Op has appointed local co-ordinators to lead dedicated Deer Management Units (DMUs) in areas of the country that are well-known as hotspots for wild deer, including in areas of the South-East.

A DMU has been established for the South-East known as SE1 and covers areas of Waterford, Kilkenny and Tipperary. The SE1 DMU is part of FRS Co-Op’s contract to establish a total of 15 DMUs in areas of the country that are well-known as hotspots for wild deer. The establishment of DMUs was a key recommendation of the final report recently published by the Deer Management Strategy Group.

FRS Co-Op was awarded the contract in February this year to implement and deliver a number of recommendations from the Deer Management Strategy Group, including to establish 15 DMU’s in hotspot areas of the country and to appoint local co-ordinators to work with landowners and hunters.

FRS Co-Op’s role will be to connect landowners affected by wild deer in hotspot areas with licenced hunters. The co-op will not directly employ any hunters as part of its contract but will oversee the co-ordination with local hunters and hunting groups who wish to participate in the deer management programme.

The local co-ordinator appointed by FRS Co-Op to lead the South-East DMU will be engaging with farmers and landowners in the area to identify issues relating to deer that currently exist and to help facilitate deer management by engaging with local hunters. Deer management will be implemented in hotspots areas identified in South-Eastern counties of Ireland with the goal of bringing the wild deer population down to a sustainable level.

This will protect Ireland’s natural environment, improve biodiversity in our woodlands and other habitats, protect farmland, and contribute to improving human safety by reducing the number of road traffic accidents involving deer.