Sika stag in forestry (click to enlarge)

From time to time, Deer Alliance HCAP receives inquiries from individuals regarding availability of stalking in Ireland, and from holders of sporting rights (including Coillte licence holders) offering opportunities for stalking, including syndicate membership.

Deer Alliance HCAP is not in the general business of “matchmaking” such parties but is happy to bring people together in the interests of promoting best-practice management of wild deer by qualified and accredited persons. In this context we have received communications from licence holders willing to offer syndicate membership on Coillte licences in Counties Wicklow and Tipperary to suitable HCAP-qualified stalkers. For further information, email deeralliance@gmail.com in confidence, setting out full contact details.

(Click to enlarge)

The date for the next scheduled HCAP Range Test is Saturday 7th June 2014 and not 28th June as reported elsewhere.

A full list of eligible Candidates will be posted here on or about 3rd June 2014, together with a note on procedures for the Range Test and a location map for the Midland Range.

Young Fallow in summer pelage (click to enlarge)

The following Candidates remain eligible to participate in the next scheduled HCAP MCQ (date to be posted here on this blog in due course), being paid-up Candidates who have not yet participated in any MCQ up to and including that held on 24^th May 2014.

Amrein, Rudi, 2013/0115

Cahill, Patrick, 2012/0042

Carr, Peter, 2014/0039

Carroll, Michael, 2013/0014

Coady, Mark, 2014/0036

Colfer, Michael, J. 2013/0081

Connor, Oliver, 2012/0091

Crotty, Paul, 2013/0077

Devlin, Lisa, 2013/0087

Fedigan, Patrick, 2014/0026

Fitzgerald, Daire, 2013/0112

Greaney, Stephen, 2013/0016

Hand (Jnr.), Paul, 2013/0036

Haughey, Gavin, 2012/0003

Hendrick, Earl, 2013/0097

Hickey, Francis, 2012/0016

Hughes, Jamie, 2013/0125

King, Patrick J., 2012/0073

McGuill, Pat, 2013/0079

Moore, Kevin, 2014/0015

Neville, Pat, 2012/0097

O’Toole, Michael, 2012/0096

Page, Aaron, 2012/0092

Phelan, Patrick, 2014/0038

Schots, Auke, 2014/0075

Sika Hind and calf (click to enlarge)

Applications for the above HCAP MCQ are now closed.

Application for participation in the Training Workshop to be held from 10 a.m. to 3.45 p.m. on Saturday can be made up to 5 p.m. on Friday 23rd May 2014, and payment (€50.00) can be made on Saturday.

A full list of eligible candidates for the MCQ can be viewed on an earlier post on this blog, see below. Candidates are asked to make a permanent note of their personal HCAP Number as subsequent inquiries cannot be entertained without this number.

Participants in the Training Workshop should bring lunch if possible as to ensure completion of the Workshop Agenda, time for breaks will be limited. Tea/coffee will be available.

The MCQ will commence at 4 p.m. sharp, in the Community Centre (beside the Roman Catholic Church (Church of the Holy Trinity, Church Street), Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny, where the Workshop also takes place.

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.