Plan to control deer population

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Plan to control deer population

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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 2:45 pm Post subject: Plan to control deer population

Proposals to control wild deer numbers are being published by the government.

Some experts believe that the deer population in England is at its highest level for a millennium.

At present, 160,000 deer are culled each year because they are damaging crops and woodland, and are involved in thousands of car accidents.

Peter Watson, from the Deer Initiative charity, said: "The real issue is to ensure that we don't start looking at deer purely as a pest."

He added: "We've got to treat them as an asset because if we don't we devalue their presence in the countryside."

The government's new strategy follows a public consultation by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission.

Framework

Defra is heralding the strategy as the first modern framework for tackling the management of wild deer.

The say that despite the role of the government, the primary responsibility for deer control will remain with landowners.

Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "Wild deer are beautiful animals and an important part of our cultural landscape and natural heritage.

"With careful and sustainable management, landowners and deer managers will be able to control the impact that the increasing numbers of wild deer are having on our native biodiversity, while conserving and protecting both the countryside and its wildlife, including native deer."

Story from BBC NEWS:
https://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4133919.stm

Published: 2004/12/30 04:28:26 GMT

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 05 3:30 pm Post subject:
Also interesting is.... https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/environment/html/land_use/pdf/deer01.pdf

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 05 4:18 pm Post subject:

I've read through that but there's not much mention of the use for venison.

I understand not all deer are suitable for the food chain and the need to control deer numbers may take priority over their consumption, but I don't get much of an impression that the Government is doing anything to encourage deer to be eaten.

If more wild venison was consumed this would, hopefully, reduce the need for farmed meat and could even lead to more land being used for conservation etc. I'll be trying to track down a better source for myself and a few others this year, but it's not easy.

I would also like to know do stalkers get any encouragement or payment from the government for their work?

tinyclanger

Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 190
Location: in the kitchen, baking

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 05 6:38 pm Post subject:
Venison...mmmm (drools) surely even old animals can be casseroled? seen here on a regular basis, along with pheasants. Young cattle meeting pheasants out in the back field was very ammusing last year.

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