The following Candidates were successful in the Deer Alliance HCAP MCQ held in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny on Saturday 29^th March 2014 and are eligible to participate in the next scheduled HCAP Range Test, which will be held at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore on Saturday 7^th June 2014.

MCQ Results are shown by Candidates’ HCAP Number, mark obtained and result only.

2014/0018, 84%, Pass

2014/0019, 86%, Pass

2014/0004, 100%, Pass

2014/0002, 88%, Pass

2014/0006, 92%, Pass

2013/0065, 80%, Pass

2014/0020, 90%, Pass

2014/0007, 82%, Pass

2014/0008, 82%, Pass

HUNTER COMPETENCE ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 2014

MCQ DATES 2014

HCAP MCQs (Multiple Choice Question Written Assessments) will take place in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny on the following dates;

Saturday 29 March 2014

Saturday 26 April 2014

Saturday 24 May 2014.

These MCQs will be followed by a Range Test for successful candidates on Saturday 7 June 2014 (date to be confirmed).

The start time for each MCQ is 4 p.m. sharp. The venue is the Community Hall, Goresbridge.

A list of all eligible Candidates will be posted here in advance of each scheduled MCQ. All Candidates are listed for the next scheduled MCQ date following receipt of their application. When a Candidate is unable to attend a given MCQ date, that Candidate’s name is automatically carried forward to the next available date. It is not necessary to advise the Deer Alliance of unavailability in advance, but it would be helpful.

This year all MCQs will be preceded by a One-Day Training Workshop, to be held on the same day as each MCQ and running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each Training Workshop will cover all key topics for assessment, including Species Recognition and Biology, Principles of Deer Management, Legal Issues, Firearms & Ballistics, Forestry Practices and Fieldcraft. Participation is not mandatory for intending HCAP candidates.

The Training Workshops cannot at this time be applied for online. Candidates wishing to participate in a Workshop should notify their intention to the Deer Alliance by email (deeralliance@gmail.com) and can pay the Workshop Fee €50.00 on the morning of the Workshop.

Course & Assessment Fees

The Application Fee for HCAP remains unchanged at €100.00 to include MCQ and Range Test.

The Add-on cost of the Training Workshop is €50.00.

The Deer Alliance Stalker Training Manual is available at €35.00 including postage.

Application and purchase can be done through the website www.deeralliance.ie or by post using downloadable forms from the website. The closing date for each MCQ is the Friday of the week prior to date of MCQ.

APPLICATIONS FOR THE HCAP MCQ SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY 29TH MARCH 2014 ARE NOW CLOSED.

(Posting updated 26th March 2014).

Deer Alliance HCAP have completed their round of MCQ assessments and Range Tests for 2013 and will announce the calendar for 2014 as soon as it is confirmed in committee.

Intending Candidates can expect the next round of assessments to commence in early Spring 2014, with dates and venues to be decided. In the meanwhile Applications can be submitted in the usual manner, online or by post in hard copy.

The Calendar will be posted here on this blog in due course.

Visitors to the Deer Alliance Blog, and hunters wishing to achieve “Trained Person” status under the requirements of Regulation (EC) 853/2004, will be familiar with the Deer Alliance position regarding their proposed Food Safety Module, which has a target introduction date of 1^st November 2013. If in doubt about the Deer Alliance position, go to the posting on this blog dated 6^th August 2013.

More recently, the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC) published on their Facebook page an exchange of emails between D. Crofton of the NARGC and Mr Tim Camon of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). That publication of emails has led to considerable confusion, in circumstances where the Deer Alliance has been heavily engaged with FSAI and other bodies over a considerable period of time in respect of a proper, nationally-recognised process of training, assessment and certification within the National Framework of Qualifications (the Deer Alliance Food Safety Module, or FSM).

Having regard for the contents of the email from FSAI to NARGC, the Deer Alliance protested in the strongest terms to FSAI about what the Deer Alliance regards as a serious mis-statement of the position and requested that as a matter of urgency, FSAI clarify their statement to NARGC and to any persons affected or likely to be affected by that statement.
The Deer Alliance has received the appropriate clarification in the form of a letter dated 11 September 2013, which can be viewed here (click to read): FSAI to Deer Alliance 11 September 2013.
The Deer Alliance is pleased to confirm again that it has been in consultation with FSAI for a prolonged period of time and is currently working with QQI and other agencies and third parties to achieve their desired level of accreditation for their proposed Food Safety Training Module. The Deer Alliance confirms that it is in the final stages of achieving accreditation and fully expects to introduce its Training Module on or by 1st November 2013, with the active support and guidance of FSAI. The Deer Alliance makes no comment on the NARGC’s motivation in posting the FSAI email on their Facebook page.

Location of Midland Rifle Range (click to enlarge)

All HCAP Candidates are required to note the following matters in relation to Range Tests conducted at the Midland National Shooting Grounds (“MRC”), at Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly:

1: Only Candidates who have passed the HCAP MCQ may take the HCAP Range Test.

2: Candidates must use a rifle of calibre legal for hunting deer in Ireland, i.e. minimum legal calibre .22/250.

3: All firearms must be transported in sleeves or cases. The firing bolt should be removed and carried separately. Firing bolts should be inserted only when preparing to shoot. At all times when not actually shooting, the bolt should be removed and a breech flag inserted.

4: All Candidates are required to carry fully adequate Shooting Insurance and must provide evidence of insurance to MRC on the day of any Range Test. NARGC, Countryside Alliance and IFA Countryside membership all satisfy the insurance requirement.

5: The law requires that a valid firearms certificate must be carried when using or transporting any firearm. The firearm certificate covers the “use, possession or carriage” of the firearm. MRC require HCAP Candidates to exhibit their firearm certificate before proceeding to the Range Test. In certain limited circumstances and always subject to prior notification, Candidates may use a firearm which they do not themselves own, provided that the certificate holder is present with the Candidate at all times.

6: All Candidates are therefore required to sign in at the main MRC check-in desk on arrival at the Range, and before proceeding to the Windmill Range on which the HCAP Range Tests take place, and to exhibit evidence of insurance and firearm certificate on request.

7: Following experimentation over a number of Range Tests, the Deer Alliance have adopted the following procedures in respect of Range Tests:

a) All Candidates will be listed alphabetically (surname first) and allocated to firing details accordingly.

b) Each Firing Detail has a maximum of 16 positions (up to 16 Candidates to each Detail).
In certain circumstances, depending on which Range is in use, the maximum number may increase to 20.

c) The first Firing Detail will always kick off at 10 a.m. sharp, with approximately 45 minutes allowed for each Detail.

d) All Candidates are urged to arrive at MRC not later than 9.30 a.m. on the day of any Range Test, to allow time for registration procedures as set out above.

e) Thereafter, HCAP Range Officials will allocate positions on each Detail according to alphabetical order and actual presence on the Range.

f) Deferrals must be notified in writing (email or text message) to the Deer Alliance not less than 3 days before any Range Test. “No-shows”, i.e. non-attendance without notification, may result in loss of entitlement to complete the HCAP Certification programme.

g) After shooting, each Candidate, pass or fail, is given a slip with his or her name on it and indicating pass or fail, and attempts taken. This slip (pass or fail) must be presented to the HCAP Administrator Liam Nolan before leaving the Range in order to receive the HCAP Certificate and/or to register for any subsequent Range Test.

h) Candidates taking two or more attempts at the Range Test on any given day are required to pay a Repeat Fee of €25.00. The Repeat Fee if taking the Range Test for a second or further time on any subsequent Range Test day is €50.00.

i) Safety is paramount at all times and any lapse will be severely penalised. All Candidates are issued with the Deer Alliance “Safe Stalking” safety leaflet when participating in the Programme. Copies will be available at each Range Test. It is the responsibility of each Candidate to ensure that best practice safety procedures are followed at all times.

The following Candidates are eligible to participate in the next scheduled HCAP Range Test, which will take place on Saturday 31 August 2013 at the Midland Range, Blue Ball, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. The list includes all most recently qualified candidates from MCQs in 2013 not already certified. Candidates from 2012 or earlier who are approved as eligible from previous MCQs, or Repeat Candidates from previous Range Tests, and not listed below, are advised to confirm eligibility with Deer Alliance HCAP (email or text only please, deeralliance@gmail.com, 086 1927 845).

Candidates should familiarise themselves fully with the requirements for all candidates shooting at the Midland Range (see separate posting on this blog).

Barlow, Gavin, 2013/0076
Bradley, Luke, 2013/0114
Brady, Maurice, 2013/0110
Byrne, Michael, 2013/0060
Byrne, Stephen, 2012/0095
Carolan, Colm, 2013/0108
Casey, Ken, 2013/0130
Casey, Jerry, 2013/0068
Coady, Mark, 2013/0073
Collard, Stephen, 2013/0066
Condon, Thomas, 2013/0075
Connolly, Stephen, 2013/0116
Daly, Brendan, 2013/0118
Delapp, Pat, 2013/0102
Dempsey, Timothy, 2012/0060
Dillon, Eric, 2012/0093
Doheny, Barry, 2013/0017
Dunne, Jonathan, 2012/0066
Duggan, Mike, 2013/0067
Farrell, Sean, 2013/0071
Fergus, James, 2013/0107
Fleming, Mike, 2013/0072
Flynn, Patrick, 2013/0001
Galant, Marcin, 2013/0083
Gibbons, Daniel, 2013/0103
Glynn, Ross, 2013/0028
Harkin, John, 2013/0117
Hendrick, Earl, 2013/0097
Horan, John, 2013/0096
Hughes, David, 2013/0124
Hughes, Jamie, 2013/0125
Kane, Brian, 2013/0082
Kane, Robert, 2013/0105
Kavanagh, Jonathan, 2013/0113
Kennedy, John, 2013/0122
Kenny, Peter, 2013/0127
Kelleher, Damien, 2013/0043
Kelliher, Denis, 2013/0057
Kelliher, Michael, 2013/0056
Kelly, Stephen, 2013/0080
King, Patrick J., 2012/0073
Lees, Kieran, 2013.0055
Markey, Brendan, 2013/0078
McAndrew, Pat, 2013/0106
McIlmale, Gerard, 2013/0094
McKeown, Nick, 2013/0088
Moore, Alan, 2013/0074
Morehead, Oscar, 2013/0119
Morgan, Gary, 2013/0121
Mulvany, David, 2013/0009
Murphy, James, 2013/0123
Naghten, John, 2013/0095
O’Brien, Barry G., 2013/0089
O’Brien, Ciaran, 2013/0090
O’Connor, John, 2013/0070
O’Neill, Liam, 2013/0086
O’Donoghue, Enda, 2013/0098
Porter, Paul, 2013/0099
Randle, Joseph, 2013/0100
Reibisch, Momme, 2013/0091
Ruane, James, 2013/0093
Scully, Declan, 2013/0024
Somers, Niall, 2013/0051
Smith, Stephen, 2013/0092
Smyth, Aaron, 2013/0104
Thompson, Bernard, 2013/0069
Woulfe, James, 2013/0046
Wyse, Bernard, 2013/0085
Young, Mervyn James, 2013/0120

(Click to enlarge)

The following candidates (numbers, followed by mark achieved) were successful in the HCAP MCQ held in Portlaoise, Co. Laois, on Saturday 24 August 2013 and are eligible to participate in the HCAP Range Test to be held at the Midlands Range on Saturday 31 August 2013.

2013/0114, 92%
2013/0110, 90%
2013/0108, 90%
2013/0130, 94%
2013/0066, 86%
2013/0116, 94%
2013/0118, 92%
2013/0117, 96%
2013/0097, 84%
2013/0124, 86%
2013/0125, 84%
2013/0113, 80%
2013/0122, 92%
2013/0127, 80%
2013/0080, 92%
2013/0078, 84%
2013/0119, 80%
2013/0121, 84%
2013/0123, 84%
2013/0095, 86%
2013/0089, 80%
2013/0090, 96%
2013/0098, 94%
2013/0099, 80%
2013/0100, 80%
2013/0091, 90%
2013/0051, 88%
2013/0120, 82%
2013/0102, 92%

The following candidates (numbers, followed by mark achieved) were unsuccessful and are required to re-sit and pass the MCQ stage before proceeding to any Range Test. The application fee for repeat candidates is €50.00. MCQ dates and venues are posted periodically on this blog site. “Fail” grades may be appealed to the HCAP Assessment Committee, subject to written application accompanied by re-checking fee, €50.00. Where written application for re-checking is received, it is reviewed by the Committee at the next scheduled Committee meeting following receipt of application. Applications for re-checking must be received within 10 (ten) days of publication of results on this blog.

2013/0111, 72%
2013/0101, 72%
2013/0126, 66%

The following is the position of the Deer Alliance in relation to the “Trained Person” requirement under Regulation (EC) 853/2004 so far as it affects the supply of wild shot game including venison into the human food chain.