Land managers given more power to control deer population

The Scottish Government has outlined new plans intended to better control the nation’s rapidly growing deer population.

In a move aimed at protecting biodiversity and preventing nature loss, land managers are to be given more power in controlling deer numbers.

The rules, which were updated this week, give land managers the right to cull male deer across a longer period of the year.

They will also be permitted to use “night sight” scopes to cull deer in the dark.

Additionally, land managers may now use ammunition which is less damaging to venison products.

They previously had to use lead ammunition, which is toxic to humans.

Biodiversity minister Lorna Slater said this will make venison more widely available to domestic and international markets.

Ms Slater added: “These changes – recommended by the Deer Working Group – will allow deer to be managed in a way that is both beneficial to our environment and the rural economies that rely upon deer.

“Deer are an iconic species that is synonymous with rural Scotland but their numbers have reached densities that can have a devastating impact on our land due to trampling and overgrazing.

“This activity can prevent new trees from growing and damage existing woodland.”

The move was welcomed by the Scottish Environment Link deer group, established in 2017 by the Scottish Government due to growing concern over deer management.

Group vice-convener Mike Daniels said: “We strongly support the Scottish Government’s proposals to improve the flexibility of deer management, based on the independent scrutiny of the deer working group and its final recommendations.

“More than ever we need to make all of the tools available to Scotland’s skilled and experienced deer managers to deliver the urgent changes required for nature and for all of us.”

But the Scottish Gamekeepers Association was critical of the changes, claiming they may have the opposite effect of what is anticipated.

Chairman Alex Hogg said: “We outlined in our consultation response that doing away with male deer seasons downgrades animal welfare in Scotland and may actually lead to numbers and forest damage increasing.

“It seems the consultation exercise was merely a tick box formality, however.

“This is especially disappointing considering that there were no actual deer managers on the original deer working group which decided these proposals in the first place.

“The distance between policy and the practitioner grows and that is a real concern when Scottish Government is obligated to deliver a just transition.”

But the British Association for Shooting and Conservation welcomed the changes.

Scotland director Peter Clark said: “BASC Scotland supports the decision to amend the minimum bullet weight because it will make non-lead ammunition more accessible.

“Many stalkers are already required to use lead-free ammunition, be it through lease conditions or AGHE (approved game handling establishment) requirement, thus this would ensure that stalkers in these situations can continue to manage deer populations and supply venison into the food chain.”