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What’s next for deer management in Scotland?
With proposals for major changes in deer management in sight, BASC Scotland director, Peter Clark, reflects on the latest developments.
It’s welcome news that the Scottish Government has listened to concerns and decided to abandon the proposed changes to the female deer management season. This outcome reflects the strength of concerns raised by BASC and others within the sector.
When BASC first learned of the proposal to expand the open female deer season, we had serious concerns about its welfare and practical implications. The change could have resulted in hinds being culled while still nursing dependent young and forced deer managers to shoot heavily pregnant females further into spring. Thanks to robust evidence presented in our consultation response and lobbying efforts, Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie has confirmed that the government will not proceed with the recommendation to alter the close season for female deer.
It’s encouraging to know that the thousands of BASC deer stalkers’ voices, those actively working on the ground, have been heard. It’s not just about policy – it’s about the real-world impact on wildlife and rural communities.
The decision ultimately reaffirms the importance of supporting effective and ethical deer management that respects ecological balance and animal welfare.
Ongoing engagement
It’s also a reminder that ongoing engagement with policymakers is crucial. I’m glad to see that the government is committed to continuing these discussions to ensure that any future changes are based on solid evidence and best practices.
With these changes due to come through the yet-to-be-published Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, BASC has already been busy laying the groundwork through lobbying and providing robust evidence to policymakers.
That is why BASC’s exclusion from a deer management stakeholder roundtable at the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee session on Wednesday was wholly unacceptable.
By the parliamentary clerks failing to include us and others in the meeting, we question the validity and accuracy of the findings and evidence, given the panel does not fully and accurately represent the Scottish deer management sector. Most notably the British Deer Society and Lowland Deer Network Scotland were also excluded. The omission of informed discussion on lowland deer management reflects poorly on the integrity of the process.
By omitting us from the session, over 5,500 BASC members, who are the backbone of deer management in Scotland, were not represented. 5,500 Scotland members who actively take part in deer management and range from professional deer managers to recreational stalkers, right across Scotland’s many diverse landscapes.Â
Their work contributes to managing the deer population of Scotland, contributing to nature and climate goals, as well as producing Scotland’s wild venison. To put it bluntly, it would be like having the NFU excluded from a committee session on farming.
Valuable insight
This exclusion also denied MSPs access to valuable insights, including findings from BASC’s 2024 deer survey – the most comprehensive engagement on deer management in Scotland in recent years.
Not only do we represent the lion’s share of deer managers and stalkers, we also are the major provider of the Deer Management Qualifications (DMQ), which will be analysed during this Bill through the lens of mandatory training. We are also the leading venison consumer marketing campaigner and heavily involved in the promotion of venison as a healthy, ethical, source of low cholesterol, high protein red meat through our Eat Game brand and leading industry awards scheme.
Callum Thomson, the Scottish Parliament’s Group Head of Scrutiny outlines clearly on the parliamentary website that ‘Parliament’s scrutiny of policy and the legislation Members pass is informed by a wide range of experiences, needs and views – especially from those most directly affected by the policy in question’. Yet the 5,500 members who actively manage deer in Scotland, and indeed a large proportion of the 42,000 UK-wide deer members who travel to Scotland for deer stalking, will be directly affected by the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.
The matter was escalated to the Presiding Officer, who has failed to address and acknowledge the scale of this exclusion. Fundamentally, this is a serious issue as the Scottish Parliament is there to represent all.
Looking ahead, we welcome Minister Jim Fairlie’s attendance at our Gamekeeping and Wildlife Management Day in March. This event will provide a crucial opportunity for him to hear directly from those managing Scotland’s deer populations and understand the real issues at stake.
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