BASC And The Deer Initiative

BASC is a founder member of the Deer Initiative (DI) and is proud to help ensure the delivery of a sustainable, well-managed wild deer population in England and Wales. The DI is a partnership comprising a wide range of statutory, private and voluntary organisations and individuals with an interest in wild deer and their management.

Signatories to the Accord have agreed to the fundamental principles stated below and to encourage others likewise to make such a commitment as an integral part of their deer management approach and priorities.

Principles

A sustainable and balanced population of wild deer in England

We will work to ensure that populations of wild deer are in sustainable balance with the natural resources available to feed and shelter them throughout the year.

A humane, responsible and sensitive approach to the management of wild deer

We will work to prevent deer populations growing to exceed a sustainable balance with the environment and natural resources by planning the delivery of active deer management programmes, which will often include culling. Such management will always be undertaken legally and in a humane, responsible and sensitive manner.

An experienced and knowledgeable capability in deer management

Achievement of best practice knowledge and skills is a prerequisite of deer management. We will encourage and promote the development and delivery of accredited training for all those with deer management remits and interests.

An informed public understanding of wild deer management

The presence of deer in an area can add greatly to people’s enjoyment but deer can also cause various problems. Their management may therefore pose a dilemma. Information needs to be provided to extend the understanding of the general public of the nature, role, contributions and impact of wild deer populations throughout England. In educating the public about wild deer management, the benefits of planned and humanely carried out deer management may be explained. We will work to improve knowledge and encourage and promote better public understanding as an integral and essential component of deer management.

A partnership approach to reducing the adverse environmental and economic impacts of deer

The full benefits and objectives of the management of wild deer in England will require the active contribution to a nationwide deer management programme by all public, private and voluntary organisations associated with wild deer populations. We will achieve this through the provision of financial, in-kind and operational support to the Deer Initiative and the Deer Initiative Limited (DI Ltd), and a commitment to the Accord objectives and principles.

Best Practice / advice notes

The DI has produced a series of best practice guides which replace all of their previous advice notes. 

Best practice guidance for deer.

Related pages

Trophy Hunting

Trophy Hunting BASC’s Position “BASC supports the sustainable harvest of wildlife in the UK and overseas and the import and export of trophies arising from such harvesting where they are clearly proven to be from a sustainable source; noting that well-regulated trophy hunting programmes play an important role in delivering

Wild boar

Wild Boar Best practice Defra consultations Firearms requirements FAQs Species background and ecology Wild boar (Sus scrofa) were once native to Great Britain but became extinct some 300 years ago. However, following escapes or deliberate releases from wild boar farms or animal collections, they have now established breeding populations in

Stalking schemes

These schemes have been developed to provide a variety of different stalking opportunities for members who wish to take up stalking and to provide those with limited access to stalking of their own, the opportunity to gain practical experience and increase their knowledge.

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