National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes the framework for greater partnership and collaboration for the delivery of nature conservation projects and the management of the respective estates of both organisations.

New agreement between NPWS and Coillte will promote partnership, collaboration and enhanced co-operation to restore nature. Priority areas for action include threatened habitats and species. The first project – ‘Slieve Blooms Nature Project’ – will target conservation measures for the Hen Harrier.

Through greater collaboration and the alignment of shared objectives for nature, NPWS and Coillte will deliver positive conservation projects aimed at protecting, enhancing and restoring important ecosystems. Priority actions will include the co-design and co-delivery of conservation measures through agreed site action plans, with a focus on protected habitats such as raised and blanket bog, heaths and wetlands, lakes and rivers, and for threatened species such as Freshwater Pearl Mussel, Hen Harrier, Merlin and breeding waders.

Welcoming the MoU at the Ploughing Championships on 17th September 2024 in Ratheniska, Co Laois, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD said:

“This agreement between NPWS and Coillte is a huge opportunity to restore nature at scale across Ireland. By bringing together the national agency responsible for biodiversity and Ireland’s state forestry company – two of the largest landowners in the country, to address shared challenges and maximise shared opportunities, we are prioritising actions to restore nature and meet our obligations under the Birds and Habitats Directives but also deliver for the Nature Restoration Law. I have long been of the view that reversing biodiversity loss is not the sole responsibility of any one organisation; we need a whole of government, whole of society approach. That is why this strategic alliance is so important and I am excited at the impact for nature that will emerge. I’m particularly pleased that the first project to be undertaken through the new MoU will be to protect the Hen Harrier in the Slieve Blooms.

“Areas of partnership and collaboration referenced in the MoU include biodiversity enhancement and restoration, forest redesign and peatland restoration, the delivery of actions to assist in the achievement of Site Specific Conservation Objectives, support for operational forest management, research and information data sharing, and funding and resourcing. Platforms for professional exchange and liaison are also outlined, along with agreements to collaborate closely on knowledge-sharing, development of best practice guidelines, habitat assessment, policy and regulation, and scientific research.”

Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett said:

“I believe the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between Coillte and NPWS will ultimately prove to be a very positive step for the enhancement of our natural environment. Given the scale of their respective land banks and expertise, as well as the impending introduction of the Nature Restoration Law, closer collaboration between these two State agencies is a really welcome move, and I am excited to see the relationship between Coillte and NPWS go from strength to strength in the coming years.”

Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of NPWS said:

“Coillte is one of the largest landowners in the State and is already undertaking progressive projects and providing strategic leadership for nature across its landholdings. NPWS is delighted to enter this Memorandum of Understanding with the company, as it is a portal to significant future projects and cooperation for nature and, in particular, in relation to Hen Harrier conservation, peatlands’ restoration and wetlands initiatives.”

Imelda Hurley, CEO Coillte said:

“Coillte is delighted to significantly deepen its collaboration with NPWS through this MoU. The objective of this MoU aligns perfectly with our own strategic ambitions to balance and deliver the multiple benefits of forests for climate, nature, wood and people. One of our strategic ambitions is to enhance and restore biodiversity by increasing the area of our estate managed primarily for nature from 20% to 30% by 2025 and to transform areas of our forests so that 50% of our estate is managed primarily for nature in the long-term, while continuing to supply sustainably grown Irish wood. We look forward to commencing this important work with NPWS as soon as possible.”

Read the Memorandum of Understanding HERE

Representatives of FURG and NIFRG meeting in Dundalk on 10th September 2024

In a groundbreaking move, the main shooting and country sports organisations from
Ireland (RoI)  have linked up with their counterparts in Northern Ireland
to share expertise and experience on firearms-related issues.

Firearms Users Representative Group (FURG, RoI), recently met with
their counterpart in the North, the Northern Ireland Firearms Users Representative Group (NIFRG), during which both organisations committed to an ongoing process of cooperation and engagement.

The two organisations have agreed to meet face to face annually, and hold online meetings at least twice a year, or more frequently if issues crop up that require a co-ordinated response.

The Firearms Users Representative Group (FURG, RoI) consists of fifteen organisations,
and was formed in July 2022, to coordinate the shooting communities’ response to
draconian proposals emanating from the Irish government’s Firearms Expert
Committee (FEC). The group is chaired by the National Association of Regional
Game Councils (NARGC) with the secretariat provided by the Deer Alliance (DA).

NIFRG, comprising ten shooting and countryside organisations, was formed in
May 2021 in response to deep-rooted concerns regarding the Police Service of
Northern Ireland’s Firearms and Explosive’s Branch (PSNI FEB). The group is
chaired by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) with the
Secretariat provided by Country Sports Ireland (CSI).

Some organisations operate on an all-Ireland basis and are therefore members of
both the NIFRG and the FURG, bringing the total number of organisations
represented to twenty-three.

Speaking after the meeting, a FURG spokesperson said: “We welcome the opportunity to host the NIFRG and we regard this meeting as a major first step, in developing a strong mutually
beneficial partnership, that will allow us to harness the power of our collective
membership bases, to robustly meet the many challenges that lie ahead in both
jurisdictions.”

A NIFRG spokesperson said: “We welcome and appreciate the opportunity to meet with FURG in the Republic, to share our considerable expertise and experience. We have witnessed firsthand the benefits of multiple organisations coming and working closely together under the NIFRG
umbrella, to help drive policy change and successfully oppose unnecessary
restrictions that were not evidence based.”

FURG consists of 15 shooting and countryside organisations:

Country Sports Ireland
Countryside Alliance Ireland
Deer Alliance HCAP
FACE Ireland
Irish Clay Target Shooting Association
Irish Country Sports Association
Irish Deer Commission
Irish Deer Society
Irish Firearms Dealers Association
Irish Natura Hill Farmers Association
Midlands National Shooting Centre of Ireland
National Association of Regional Game Councils,
National Association of Sporting Rifle Pistol Clubs
Precision Rifles Ireland
Wild Deer Association of Ireland

NIFRG is an umbrella body which consists of ten national and local
representative shooting and countryside membership organisations:

Country Sports Ireland (CSI)
Countryside Alliance Ireland (CAI)
British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC)
British Deer Society (BDS NI)
NI Firearms Dealers’ Association (NIFDA)
NI Practical Shooting Confederation (NIPSC)
NI Small-bore Shooting Association (NISSA).
Scottish Association for Country Sports (SACs)
The Ulster Clay Pigeon Shooting Association (UCPSA)
The Ulster Rifle Association (URA)

Deer Alliance HCAP has completed its 2024 Series of HCAP Assessments. There will be no further HCAP events in 2024. The calendar of events for 2025 will be posted here early in the New Year, with HCAP events taking place from late February-early March onwards.

Application for HCAP can be made at any time through the Online Applications section of the Deer Alliance website. The cost of HCAP will remain at €165.00, with subsidised courses available for members of IFA Countryside. The Deer Alliance Stalker Training Manual is available for purchase through the Online Applications section of the website, cost €35.00 including post & packaging.

A rutting red deer stag. A total of  7362 red deer were culled in the 2022 – 2023 season, just 11% of the total number of deer culled.

Figures recently released by the National Parks & Wildlife Service reveal that there has been a huge increase in the number of wild deer culled by licenced deer hunters in the latest season’s figures available (2022 – 2023) showing a 20% uplift on the number shot in the previous year, which was already at an all-time high and a multiple of the ten-year average. A total of 65,547 deer were culled across the three species of deer (red deer including red deer hybrids, sika deer and fallow deer). The figures include 18,936 deer culled in County Wicklow, which is recognised as a deer “conflict zone” or “hot spot”, including as it does a natural deer incubator, Wicklow Mountains National Park (where only a minimal number of deer are culled annually).

A total of 6,486 Deer Hunting Licences were issued for the 2023 hunting season , together with 1,414 “Section 42” licences, which resulted in 12,628 deer being culled either during the closed season May to July, or at night with lamps across the nine-month 2023-2024 full season September 2023 to April 2024.

The Open Season for male deer was extended in February 2024 and now runs from 1st August to 30th April, while the Open Season for female and antlerless deer was also extended and now runs from 1st November to 31st March.

ASTONISHING

These figures are described as “astonishing” by Liam Nolan of the Deer Alliance. The Deer Alliance provides training for licensed deer hunters and over 3,800 hunters have participated the Deer Alliance Hunter Competence Assessment Programme (HCAP) since its establishment in 2003, in partnership with NPWS, Coillte, AGS, IFA and other stakeholders. HCAP is now a requirement for first-time applicants for the annual Deer Hunting Licence (DHL).

IMPLOSION

According to Liam Nolan, in terms of establishing a sustainable population of wild deer, any ongoing annual cull at this level will lead to an implosion of the population and to an adverse and unacceptable impact on the biodiversity landscape, where deer have a natural place, provided numbers are maintained in balance with all other interests including farming and forestry.

Again according to Liam Nolan, all licenced deer hunters fully recognise the need to control deer numbers and to minimise damage to farmland crops and to forestry, and this is more than fully evidenced by the upsurge in numbers of both licensed hunters and of deer culled. However, he says that the right balance has to be achieved, as deer have a definite place in our environment as a social, sporting and economic amenity, and that balance is best achieved by a science-based approach to deer management. He says that expanding the season for male deer from four months to nine months might well lead to an increase in numbers shot, but will do nothing to achieve a sustainable population unless female deer are properly managed in tandem, and merely extending the season for female deer into the month of March, when they are heavily pregnant and just weeks short of delivering a fully-formed calf, is not the answer.

“NON-NATIVE ALIEN SPECIES”

Nolan says that it is concerning to read and hear a constant, unrelenting and often ill-informed stream of invective against wild deer, with repeated use of the term “non-native, alien species” in respect of sika deer. The term is used to imply that if something is non-native or alien, it must be exterminated, regardless of the value it brings to biodiversity of fauna. Fallow deer are also an introduced species, non-native and alien to the island of Ireland but nobody would suggest that the fallow deer of Phoenix Park should be exterminated for that reason alone. Meanwhile, some 26,442 sika deer were shot in 2023-24, including 16,901 in Wicklow alone. At the same time, 30,402 fallow deer were shot, making up over 46% of the total number of deer shot, and suggesting that fallow deer are a greater threat to farmland and forestry than sika, where they are not properly managed.

LAMPING ON SECTION 42s

Liam Nolan suggests that a majority of the 12,628 deer shot on Section 42 licences may have been shot at night, using lamps. He says that night shooting or “lamping” is inherently dangerous as at night, it is seldom possible to identify an adequate backstop for a heavy bullet travelling, hit or miss, at over 3000 feet per second and delivering the equivalent of two tonnes of energy on impact. Every shot taken in these circumstances is potentially a breach of Section 8 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990, “reckless discharge of a firearm”, apart from being completely unselective in terms of the animal shot. He reminds landowners that they could be potentially liable for any third-party injuries where they permit night shooting on their land. He says that landowners should always insist that any hunters they permit on their land are adequately insured and properly trained to HCAP standards.

DEER MANAGEMENT UNITS

Nolan supports the development of a national deer management strategy as recommended by the Deer Management Strategy Group (DMSG) established in 2022 by Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine Charlie McConalogue. The DMSG recommends the creation of Deer Management Units (DMUs) in “conflict zones” or “hot spots” where there is a super-abundance of deer and DAFM has recently published a Request for Tenders (RFT) for the position of Programme Manager to implement the DMSG recommendations. The stated value of the tender is €3.4MN over its three-year life. However, Nolan says that it is hard to see where the current cull level can be exceeded within the spirit of the Wildlife Act, which provides protection for all species of flora and fauna. It is suspected that by labelling some species as “non-native alien” species, this could lead to the removal of protection for deer, and not just sika deer. Public opinion may not greet this with enthusiasm – certainly deer enthusiasts, hunters or not, will not.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

Nolan says that the solution lies in proportionality of response to a properly measured problem. DMUs, he says, may be the beginning of such a process but are not in themselves an end. The end lies in proper management planning by all actors, including State Agencies to date deficient or delinquent in the exercise of their duties. The NPWS and Coillte both have important roles in this, as do the 6486 licensed hunters who actually carry out the control of deer. Although until they are legally “reduced into possession” (captured or killed), wild deer belong to no one, at the end of the day, the landowner, or the person holding the sporting rights, is responsible for management and control of the deer on the land. According to Nolan, all deer control must be carried out safely, efficiently and humanely, by competent, trained and certified licensed hunters, based on scientific management planning – and especially not just on a “first deer seen gets shot” basis, which unfortunately seems to be an approach favoured by some and possibly preferred by many.

The Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) have published a Request for Tenders (RFT) for a [full time, salaried] Programme Manager to implement the recommendations of the Deer Management Strategy Group (DMSG), identified as a short-term objective in the DMSG Report published in December 2023.

The RFT sets out a complex tendering procedure for what is intended to be a fixed-term contract position, with responsibility for establishing and managing up to fifteen Deer Management Units (DMUs) in different “deer conflict” zones, where deer are deemed to be present in over-abundant numbers. Tenderers must be able to demonstrate that they have experience in managing a programme involving both public and private stakeholders and have previous experience of working in a wildlife or conservation-based project/contract.

A value of €3.4MN has been placed on the contract over the three-year term of the contract (with the possibility or probability of extension into a fourth year).

The RFT has every appearance of being geared towards corporate tenderers rather than individuals, especially as tenderers have to provide evidence of a significant revenue (€1.25MN) in the year previous to Tender Response.

It can be anticipated that the RFT will attract responses from parties outside Ireland, given the requirement for prior scaled experience.

Key Performance Indicators for the Programme Manager include the following;
• Establishment of up to 15 Deer Management Units (DMU) by the Programme Manager in deer “hot spots”.
• The appointment of a local coordinator to each DMU by the Programme Manager.
• Agreed plans drawn up in each DMU with set objectives and a timetable to deliver on the recommendations of the Deer Management Strategy Group.
• Annual reviews conducted by each DMU to monitor progress and adjustments made accordingly and reported to DMSG, DAFM and NPWS.
• The number of people trained in hunting and game handling.
• The number of events/meetings held with various stakeholders.
• Final report to issue to IDMSG, DAFM and NPWS after the three years with an analysis of the work completed over the three years, what improvements were made, conclusions and future recommendations.

Deer Management Units

The Programme Manager shall establish and manage up to 15 Deer Management Units and appoint a local coordinator in each DMU. The local coordinator is considered a [paid] part time role of 2.5 days per week per DMU. One person may coordinate two DMUs depending on location.

The proposed Deer Management Units will be based on geographic catchments (taking into account differences in deer species range sizes and movement patterns) and ecological assessment as detailed by the Deer Strategy Management Group.

The key duties and responsibilities of the local coordinator will include:

• Working with local groups to establish DMUs engaging the various stakeholders, influencing, and persuading – landowners, private forest owners, Coillte, NPWS and hunters;
• Communicating effectively at different levels with other experts, stakeholders using both written and oral communication skills;
• Developing liaisons between landowners and hunters and improve co-operation and co-ordination;
• Providing progress reports to include science-based findings;
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, as well as strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Increasing awareness for landowners around the mechanisms for control and management of deer;
• Liaising with training providers on the provision of relevant training in hunting and game handling;
• Developing and implementation of a management plan to reduce the number of deer in each of the DMUs.

Qualification
The basic qualifications for each DMU local coordinator should include in-depth knowledge of local conditions and a fundamental understanding of the existing deer species’ biology i.e., population dynamics, reproduction, survival, mortality, habitat use, migration, etc.
The coordinator should have the competencies to organise and supervise an initial survey to establish baseline deer densities. This information should be used to develop a specific Deer Management Programme in conjunction with the stakeholders and include agreed set objectives for the DMU and an annual review to monitor progress and the capacity to make adjustments within the set timeframe. The local co-ordinators will be positioned remotely.

To access the RFT click HERE.

Proceed “Without Authorisation” and go to “Request for Tender Document” and “Tender Response Document”.

The candidates listed below all completed their two-stage Deer Alliance Hunter Competence Assessment Programme with their Range Test at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore on Saturday 24th August 2024. Thanks, as always, go to the Midland Range management and personnel, including Tony Saunders and J. P. Craven, and to Deer Alliance Range Officers Liam McGarry and Pat Scully. Successful candidates received their HCAP Certificates, ID cards and badges from HCAP Course Director, Liam M. Nolan. Congratulations to Shauna Quinlivan, who now joins the ranks of those women candidates who have completed HCAP.

NEW HCAP-CERTIFIED CANDIDATES, DATE OF CERTIFICATION 24th AUGUST 2024:

ARNOLD, Conor, 2024/0093
CADEC, Simon, 2024/0118
CASSIDY, Fergus, 2024/0119
CONNOLLY, Blake, 2024/0113
CULLEN, Evan, 2024/0124
FUNKE, Bodo, 2024/0123
HEALY, Conor, 2024/0091
HEINZEL, Isaac, 2024/0126
KELLY, Liam, 2024/0120
KERR, James, 2024/0116
KERR, Kevin, 2024/0117
McKEOWN, Scott, 2024/0127
NEMETH, Janos, 2024/0114
O’BRIEN, Patrick, 2024/0121
QUINLIVAN, Shauna, 2024/0130
SERBAN, Ioan Marian, 2024/0122
TRILL, Mark, 2024/0125
WHELAN, Chris, 2024/0011

The list of successful candidates included members of IFA Countryside, who benefited from a 40% subsidy of the ordinary HCAP fee, courtesy of IFA Farm Business Skillnet. Successful candidates are enrolled as members of the Association of HCAP-Certified Hunters except where they have opted out of membership. Candidates who were No-Shows or Deferrals at this Range Test will remain eligible to participate in the next scheduled Range Test in 2025 except where they have missed two or more earlier events. Reminders are not issued. Dates will be posted here in January 2025.

Conor Arnold, Shauna Quinlivan & Tim Quinlivan

Simon Cadec & Pat O’Brien

Conor Healy

Fergus Cassidy

Ioan Marian Serban & Janos Nemeth

Brothers, Kevin & James Kerr

SIKA HIND – THE HCAP RANGE TEST TARGET. THREE SHOTS INSIDE A FOUR-INCH CIRCLE ON THE SIX-INCH WHITE CIRCLE (USING THE FOUR-INCH BLACK AIMING MARK) IN THE PRONE POSITION (RESTED) AT 100 METRES, FOLLOWED BY NINE SHOTS IN THE HEART/LUNG AREA (THREE SHOTS PRONE AT 100 METRES, THREE SHOTS SITTING/KNEELING AT SIXTY METRES & THREE SHOTS STANDING AT 40  METRES). ALL LEGITIMATE STALKING AIDS MAY BE USED.

The following candidates are eligible to participate in the HCAP Range Test taking place at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly R35 NC58 on Saturday 24th August 2024.

Candidates should be present at the Range from 9.30 a.m., to sign in with Range management in the Clubhouse, with personal ID, firearms certificate, and evidence of insurance. Zeroing is not permitted on the morning of the Range Test. A reminder that sound moderators and all legitimate stalking aids e.g., shooting sticks, bipods and tripods are permitted. After registration candidates should proceed in their vehicles to the Main Range, in convoy under the direction of Range personnel. After successful completion of the Range Test, candidates will be given a card which they should bring back to the Clubhouse to receive their HCAP Certificate.

Candidates are permitted one opportunity at the Grouping Stage and two opportunities on the Main Target, OR two opportunities at the Grouping Stage and one at the Main Target (but not two opportunities at both stages).

At Stage 1 (grouping stage), candidates are required to place three rounds in a four-inch group, with a four-inch black aiming point on a six-inch white circle, in the prone position, rested.

At Stage 2 (deer target), candidates are required to place nine rounds within the heart & lung area on the life-size sika hind target – three rounds prone rested at 100 metres, three rounds sitting/kneeling at 60 metres and three rounds standing. All legitimate stalking aids are permitted. Sound moderators may be used provided they are factory-threaded.

Candidates wishing to avail of Club rifles should contact Tony Saunders at MRC directly, tel. 087 097 7589, in advance of the Range Test.

Candidates will be observed at all times for adherence to all safety protocols. Any lapse in safety standards may be followed by immediate expulsion from the Range, at the discretion of Range management.

ELIGIBLE RANGE TEST CANDIDATES, SATURDAY 24th AUGUST 2024

ARNOLD, Conor
CADEC, Simon
CASSIDY, Fergus
CONNOLLY, Blake
CULLEN, Evan
DIGGINS, Josh
FUNKE, Bodo
HEALY, Conor
HEINZEL, Isaac
HORAN, Philip
KELLY, Liam
KERR, James
KERR, Kevin
McKEOWN, Scott
MULCAHY, John
NEMETH, Janos
NEMETHNE, Orsolya Kami
O’BRIEN, Patrick
QUINLIVAN, Shauna
SERBAN, Ioan Marian
SULLIVAN, Peter
TICE, George
TRILL, Mark
WHELAN, Chris

The above list includes candidates who were Deferrals or No-Shows at previous Range Tests. For such candidates, failure to attend on 24th August 2024 without notice will lead to de-listing as eligible candidates and if they wish to complete their HCAP certification process, they will have to re-apply for the Range Test as Repeat Candidates.

Location of Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, R35 NC58.

The following candidates (HCAP numbers, followed by mark achieved) were successful in the HCAP MCQ held in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, on Saturday 17th August 2024 and are eligible to participate in the HCAP Range Test to be held at the Midlands Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly R35 NC58 on Saturday 24th August 2024. Procedures for Range Tests will be posted here separately.

Candidates who were Deferrals or No-Shows at this MCQ on 17th August 2024 will be carried forward to the next scheduled MCQ, except where they have missed two or more MCQs without notice, in which case they are now de-listed as eligible and must re-enter the HCAP process as Repeat Candidates if they wish to complete their HCAP Certification.

2024/0093, 82%, Pass
2024/0118, 94%, Pass
2024/0119, 92%, Pass
2024/0113, 86%, Pass
2024/0124, 94%, Pass
2024/0123, 94%, Pass
2024/0126, 98%, Pass
2024/0129, 96%, Pass
2024/0120, 94%, Pass
2024/0116, 88%, Pass
2024/0117, 90%, Pass
2024/0127, 88%, Pass
2024/0097, 80%, Pass
2024/0114, 96%, Pass
2024/0115, 94%, Pass
2024/0121, 84%, Pass
2024/0130, 90%, Pass
2024/0122, 80%, Pass
2024/0128, 94%, Pass
2024/0125, 92%, Pass
2024/0011, 94%, Pass

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD, has announced the opening of public consultation to review and update wildlife legislation in Ireland. The public consultation runs until September 13th.

The public consultation and review will be conducted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS ) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The legislation being updated includes the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, and related Regulations. This legislation covers areas such as the protection of birds, the protection of certain wild animals, and the protection of certain lands, sites and habitats.

The objectives are to update legislation so that it better protects nature, helps prevent biodiversity loss, is fully compliant with EU law, and is easier to enforce and comply with. It is anticipated that two new Wildlife Bills and several new Statutory Instruments will be published arising from this work.

The update of legislation will be completed over several years and will entail several phases of public consultation. The key focus of the initial phase of the legislation update will be on strengthening the enforcement of wildlife crime.

The first phase of the consultation is an online public consultation and will run until Friday 13th September 2024. Members of the public are invited to contribute their views on the priorities for any new legislation, anomalies that should be addressed, protections that should be strengthened and any other aspect of our wildlife legislation they think should receive close attention during the review.

For more information and to participate in the public consultation click HERE