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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The DI has produced a series of best practice guides which replace all of their previous advice notes.
Best Practice Guidance – Deer Wild deer management and issues arising from the presence of deer encompass a wide range of sometimes highly technical or involved subjects. It can be difficult for even experienced deer practitioners to keep abreast of developments. The purpose of the best practice project is to
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
Quarry species and shooting seasons Advice Seasons Species There are a number of gamebirds, waterfowl (ducks, geese and waders) and other bird species, as well as mammals, which can be shot legally. For many there is a close season when it is illegal to shoot them, and this helps to
