The Irish Deer Society (IDS) has said that it supports the culling of deer, but only in accordance with “data-driven management plans” and stakeholder collaboration.
The comments follow the publication of the results of a public consultation on deer management in Ireland yesterday (Monday, May 8) undertaken by the Irish Deer Management Group.
The group, made up of representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte, was reconvened in 2022 for the first time in four years.
86% of the 1,500 people who took part in the survey said a “culling of deer is needed”, according to the DAFM.
The respondents highlighted concerns around the impact of deer, including: Damage to biodiversity (86%); damage to agricultural crops or grazing (81%); road safety (80%); preventing establishment of new forests (71%); and the role in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle (67%).
Irish Deer Society
The IDS, which was established in 1968, aims to ensure the welfare of deer and their habitat in a sustainable and balanced manner.
The group is concerned about the increasing number of deer and said the current culling policy is “not achieving a balance in the national herd in certain locations”.
A lack of hunting during the Covid-19 lockdown, a lack of competency in deer management among stakeholders, poor forestry design and commercial deer letting policies have led to the rise in deer numbers, the society said.
The IDS added that there has been a “reluctance” to implement a proper deer management plan, which the group and others have recommended on “numerous occasions”.
Culling
Commenting on the survey results, the IDS said that alternative methods to control deer other than culling are not available or practical in Ireland at this time.
The introduction of contraceptives into a wild herd has not been successful outside of areas where the herd range is significantly restricted, the group said.
It added that the suggestion to reintroduce wolves in Ireland as a way to control deer populations should be considered in light of the significant issues currently experienced by livestock farmers from dogs.
“Culling must continue but in a planned and sustainable way that ensures the long-term retention of deer and their habitat,” it said.
The society has welcomed the Deer Management Group’s decision to establish sub-committees to develop recommendations for “managing the deer population effectively”.
“The IDS will be constructively and actively engaging in these committee discussions,” a spokesperson said.
The Deer Management Group, chaired by Teddy Cashman, intends to publish its final report in the early autumn.