Hunters to be paid for culling extra deer

Hunters will be paid by Scotland’s nature agency for culling additional deer to help tackle the country’s “unsustainable” population.
Qualified and eligible deer stalkers in parts of the central belt and Highlands will receive payments for extra deer culled over and above the current level in each area under two incentive schemes.
According to NatureScot, deer populations have increased in number and spread in range over the past 50 years, and have reached a point where they are damaging biodiversity and hampering attempts to tackle climate change.
It said an estimated annual increase of 25 per cent in the national cull, or 50,000 deer, would be needed over several years to meet ambitious biodiversity targets.
Hunters must use an app developed by NatureScot to record and submit the location, photographic evidence of the cull and evidence of how the carcass was disposed of. Recording the culls in this way will also aid NatureScot in its work to increase venison in the local supply chain.
A payment of £70 will be made for each additional adult female deer — and £35 for juveniles of any sex — above a minimum cull rate per 100 hectare.
Donald Fraser, NatureScot’s head of wildlife management, said: “Globally and in Scotland, nature is in decline and we face a climate emergency. Greater urgency is required to meet the challenges of these twin crises and Scotland has ambitious targets to do so.
“Sustainable deer management is a vital part of this. We know, however, that 80 per cent of deer management is carried out by the private sector at a net cost to deer managers. These innovative pilot schemes will give extra support to those working hard on the ground to tackle high deer numbers in certain areas.
“This will help bring the number of deer in balance with the rest of nature so that our woodlands, forests, peatlands and other habitats can recover and thrive.”
One pilot will cover a region of 370 square miles to the north of Glasgow and the west of Stirling, with a focus on managing lowland and urban roe deer, as well as tackling an expanding red deer population. The other will focus on a 203-square mile area on the southeastern side of Loch Ness, aiming to control non-native sika deer in important native woodlands and commercial forestry.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority will also be running a third scheme to incentivise a reduction in red deer hind numbers in its area.
NatureScot said that while deer formed an important part of Scotland’s biodiversity, in high numbers their trampling and browsing has a negative impact on habitats, particularly woodlands. High densities of deer can prevent the planting of more trees, which is key to tackling climate change and the loss of biodiversity.
It added that deer can also damage commercial forestry and agricultural crops, and create an increased risk of road traffic collisions.
Jim Fairlie, the agriculture minister, said: “We know that Scotland is facing a nature loss crisis. Unsustainable deer numbers are exacerbating the problem as large populations continue to damage our plant life.
“Landowners have a significant role in helping us meet this challenge. These schemes will encourage responsible and sustainable wildlife management practices that align with our goals for both the climate and our natural environment.”
NatureScot’s pilot schemes will start in the autumn and run until March, with the expectation that they will be repeated over the following two winters. A report on the effectiveness of the schemes will then be produced, which will be used to develop future pilots.
Peter Clark, the Scotland director for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), said: “Incentivisation is key to the process and, while this is a step in the right direction, more government financial support will be required to achieve effective deer population control.
“BASC has been clear that community-integrated deer management on publicly-owned land must be part of the government’s plans. BASC members are willing to play their part in this process, but there must be greater clarity and a plan on managing deer on publicly-owned land.”