Monthly Archives: April 2010

WILDLIFE (AMENDMENT) BILL 2010

The Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010 has been published. Its principal purpose is to make it illegal to hunt deer with two or more dogs. The Bill provides in a new section 23A that a person, including the holder of a licence or permission granted under the Wildlife Act, who hunts deer with two or more dogs shall be guilty of an offence. It shall not be an offence for a person to hunt deer with two or more dogs, pursuant to a permission granted under section 42 of this Act, where it is a term of such permission that dogs may be used to hunt deer.

While the Bill is intended to outlaw hunting the carted stag with hounds (such as practised by the Ward Union Hunt), it may well have unintended consequences for other licensed deer hunters.

It is a requirement of the standard Coillte forestry licence that hunters must have access to a trained dog for purposes of tracking and recovering shot deer. Access to a trained dog is recommended best practice for all deer hunters under the Deer Alliance Hunter Competence Assessment Programme (HCAP). It is unclear whether the Bill will have implications for hunters in this context.

It is understood that participating deer organisations are reviewing the implications of the Bill, if any.

The full text of the Bill is available through the following link:

http://www.environ.ie/en/Heritage/NationalParksandWildlife/RHLegislation/FileDownLoad,22746,en.pdf

DVD – “AFTER THE SHOT” – VENISON PREPARATION, PRODUCED BY GERD HÖNA

HCAP-Certified Donegal Stalker Gerd Höna has produced a 54-minute DVD entitled “After the Shot“, showing the preparation of simple but delicious venison dishes from wild shot deer, which will inspire all stalkers into getting the very best from their hunting. The DVD, directed by Gerd and his HCAP-Certified wife and stalking partner Veronika, is available from Gerd and Veronika Höna, Schoolmaster’s House, Ranafast, Co. Donegal, tel. 00353 (0) 74 954 8275, email info@donberg.ie, cost (to cover post & packaging) €5.00.

The Deer Alliance has no other interest in the DVD and takes no responsibility for its contents but is happy to recommend it as a source of information and guidance on carcass handling and preparation and presentation of venison dishes.