Deer Scotland: Landowners could face legal action if they do not cull animals

This is expected to mean government agency Naturescot setting enforceable annual cull targets, requiring landed estates to thin out the herds roaming their lands. 

However, plans to extend the hunting season on female deer, which would have resulted in pregnant animals being hunted, have been rejected for now. 

READ MORE: Scottish deer calves could starve to death if mothers shot

Up to around 800,000 deer are thought to be living in Scotland from four species - Roe, Red, Sika and Fallow - and a concentrated effort is underway to bring their numbers down. 

The animals are being blamed for hampering reforestation efforts by destroying new growth, putting climate change targets in jeopardy.

Deer in Glencoe have become accustomed to people

The Scottish Government has accepted recommendations to reduce the number of deer to 10 per square kilometre in the Highlands.

Other plans include phasing out the use of lead ammunition to cull deer, modernisation of existing deer legislation, the development of robust deer management plans and enhanced monitoring of deer numbers. 

The proposals will now formthe basis of new legislation to be brought forward in the next parliament. 

Rural Affairs and Natural Environment Minister Ben Macpherson said: “As the scale of tackling climate change and the biodiversity crisis increases, and the measures needed to address these challenges become ever more necessary, it is evident that a significant stepping-up of deer management efforts are required.

“In considering our response to the Deer Working Group’s recommendations, the impacts of deer on our climate change targets and on biodiversity have been the main drivers of our policy on deer management; alongside their socio-economic value as a resource and as a much-loved and iconic species, forming part of the Scottish rural environment, character and landscape.

“The report also makes recommendations intended to improve the welfare of wild deer and, alongside other evidence, we have given careful consideration to the findings of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission."

He added “As Scotland’s deer authority, NatureScot have a pivotal role to play in the implementation of these recommendations and will, alongside the Scottish Government, be engaging further with stakeholders on many of these key issues in the next parliamentary term."

Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot's Director of Sustainable Growth, said:
“Deer are an iconic species in Scotland, but also an important source of revenue for land managers. There are sizeable challenges in shifting the rural economy away from its dependence on traditional use of the land towards a nature-rich economy, with greater focus on woodland creation and peatland restoration.

"This will impact many people in rural areas, and it is vital that those who live and work on the land see this as an opportunity to steer, drive and achieve positive change, and they are empowered through vital support such as local deer management groups.”

READ MORE: They shoot deer, don't they? Scotland's culling controversy

Deer stalkers have given the plans a "cautious" welcome, and were pleased the government had moved away from the shooting of pregnant animals. 

Richard Cooke, Chair of the Association of Deer Management Groups (ADMG) said:

“We can, I think, say that today’s announcement is far more measured and nuanced than we had anticipated.  

"We agreed with some of the recommendations in the report, particularly those intended to tidy up the existing legislation, but opposed others, as communicated to government at the time.

"It is therefore pleasing to note that some of those to which we objected have not been accepted by government."

Mr Cooke added: “We are also concerned that government has accepted the recommendation of introducing a planned cull approval system.

"So far as the open range is concerned this is effectively what already happens.  The present system of cull setting by DMGs using deer management plan population models takes account of all management objectives and environmental and other public interest considerations and NatureScot staff are fully involved in this process. 

“We acknowledge that the climate emergency now overrides all other policy when it comes to Scotland’s environment, and our members have committed to climate and biodiversity action across the board – peatland restoration, woodland planting and ongoing reduction in deer densities where necessary.

"In this respect, and to be able to take forward the new green agenda we recognise that changes are required and indeed are already happening."