Deer Hunting Season 2024/2025 Extended 

Well done

I don't understand anything about hunting deer but this seems like madness

It really doesn't make sense. It's true that trophy hunting is probably the most common hunting, but this change in male hunting from 4 months to 9 makes no sense. In other EU countries male hunting goes from August/September to end of February. Regarding does and hinds, it's a difficult task to say if they should be culled during a longer period of time due to pregnancy. On the other hand, giving options to hunters to sell that meat would help in female hunting. Great video, I'm a Spanish hunter living in Ireland!

A peer-reviewed scientific analysis of Defra’s badger control policy in England has revealed a 56% fall in bovine TB rates. This report is not the first to debunk and cast serious doubt on the wild deer TB scare, much heralded by farming organisations in Ireland. In fact the IFA's own recently commissioned report largely does the same, but that was kept fairly quiet. So, it is no wonder the IFA and others were in a hurry to get the Deer Hunting seasons extended, that is, before these reports and those of the record numbers of deer already culled this season, becoming more generally know. There were more than 60,000 deer culled last season and I'd guess over 80k this year so far. The ill advised season extension follows a three year vilification of wild deer, where gross exaggeration of the damage they cause, the disease they spread, and their distribution and numbers, was spewed out to an eager media and subsequently to a gullible public. Sure, there are excessive populations and associated problems in some areas, but there are also areas in most counties with little or no deer. (Remember, there has never been a proper national census of deer or their distribution) This extension, in effect, is more than a doubling of the male season and will only serve to further reduce only male deer. Stags/Bucks are in at least an 8:1 negative ratio compared to female deer. The hunting of stags after December is patently inhumane, they are still recovering in the difficult winter/spring months from the rigors of the rut. The obvious mechanism to reduce numbers is to cull breeding females and a one month extension alone will not do that. What it will do, is reduce the quality, genetic diversity and general health of all deer, not to mention scattering existing population further afield. This result is already witnessed in England and other countries. Take islands near Vancouver for example, where there is no closed season at all, and the Fallow Deer population continues to grow. Most importantly and very concerning is the formation of 'deer contractor teams' and their coordinators. From where will these hunters be drawn ? What qualifications, experience and expertise is required ? Are there any safety courses and risk assesment measures underway? Certainly none that I heard off. The extended season also means winter housed domestic stock will be out on the land, children will be off school and many more people enjoying the countryside. Better not mention the insurance cover required, that is, if any can be obtained particurally in light of the aforementioned concerns. So, with risk factors obviously being much more acute, will the IFA and the Dept of Agriculture cover all this responsibility ? I doubt it. There has been, what I call, other lies of omission in this agenda to include disregarding the value of deer to the economy, its sustainability or it's future development, be it by way of exported venison, or the consumption of it in the domestic market, including homes, hotels and restaurants. In fact the whole idea lacks any modicum of common sense or realistic planning. No mention either of the trade value in hunting clothing, firearms, ammo, optics, quad bikes, jeeps and a myriad of other commercial spinoffs to local businesses. Or, for that matter the tax free monies many farmers enjoy, particurally those in the east of Ireland, who actually charge hunters for the service of culling deer on their lands. The public were subjected to a constant mantra of negative misinformation, eminating not least from the IFA. A prime example being their so called 'consultation survey' A survey saturated with questions and narratives designed to allow only a negative response and outcome for deer. One's only choice was to compose a 'comment' in the survey to mention any positive impact deer might be worth. The silence and inactivity of our largest hunter association has been ominous if not startling, while certain bespoke deer hunting organisations, gave weak and paltry offerings of objection. Why ? it seems they observed the tsunami of orchestrated vitriol against wild deer and foresaw it's enevitable outcome. They also saw a need to be on a winning side, to safeguard their positions in their little ponds and hope to continue safely swimming with the sharks. It was particurally sinister to note that other organisations, such as the normally vociferous anti-hunting brigade and kindred organisations, including the greens and vegans of this world were uncharacteristically silent. Is it possible the Green Party leadership, together with our minister for Agriculture and other politicians, silenced them all by coming out publicly in support of this madcap cull plan ? I doubt it. Obviously, it had some effect ! However, it was more likely a silencing of dissenting voices by way of careful media management. Silenced by powerful farming, forestry and other agri interests and, aided of course, by those vote catching politicians, most of whom hold some sway with the various opinion forming appendages of the media. Lastly, and certainly not least, to say I am disappointed with the total and complete abdicated by NPWS of it's stewardship, in particurally its responsibility for the protection of a wild mammal, is the understatement of the decade. They are the very department that can open, close, lengthen or shorten the open seasons order on huntable species.They are tasked with this function by our goverment and by way of E.U. law orders. Maybe a reported breach of E.U. law is the place to find relief because, in the opinion of many, the NPWS has been absolutely negligent in the discharge of it's duties. In effect, all the evidence points primiraly to a farming lobby dictating the future of a wild mammal, not any mammal but the largest and most beautiful of our wild animals on this island of ours.

Expansion of deer hunting season is the opposite that should be done forctgecreadons you clearly enumerate

It is in our opinion very lazy politics. We have gone through a process and delivered meaningful solutions which were accepted by all. One of those solutions was to create DMU's (Deer Management Units) in problematic areas as a first response. Those DMU's were to be created with the cooperation and involvement of local hunters. What happened to that. What we have now instead is a completely inadequate system that may or may not resolve the issue. We also wonder what stage is the other points at. Such as the promotion of vension as a highly nutritious and organic food source. Increasing the demand for vension decreases the over population problems. And so much more could have been announced.