Aim

The effectiveness of a cull operation may be increased by several rifles and support staff working as a team. The purpose of this guide is to describe factors to be considered when planning and implementing a team culling operation, whilst ensuring that safety and deer welfare standards are maintained. For this guide a team is taken to be more than two stalkers operating in either forest or open range environments.

Advantages

• Improves efficiency.
• Particularly useful to assist with large culls.

Constraints

• Requires ability to recover and larder large numbers of carcasses.
• Deer behaviour and movement may change in response to repeated collaborative culling operations.
• Carcasses may be spread over a wider area.

Most Efficient Where

• Weather and terrain combine to slow deer movement and increase the ability to predict how the deer will move.
• Rifles can move into position before the deer are aware of their presence.
• Rifles are positioned in areas which deer will move into.

Planning

Pre-operation planning should take into account the fact that the culling, extraction and processing of large numbers of carcasses is likely to be time consuming and labour intensive.

• Carry out a risk assessment *.
• Ensure compliance with relevant HSE Guidance** e.g. working time & manual handling regulations1.
• Ensure that specialist training has been provided in advance.
• Ensure that all communications equipment has been checked and is fit for purpose.
• Ensure that all team members have been equipped with the necessary protective clothing and equipment.
• Determine/Identify:
  • The number of deer using the area where the cull is required, seasonal or weather variations, and how deer are likely to behave when disturbed or moved from the area.
  • Suitable culling areas.
  • The most effective method of extraction, taking into consideration number of carcasses expected, distance and terrain .
  • Procedures to deal with the number of carcasses expected***.
  • Whether helicopter support would be effective****.
• Consult with neighbours prior to carrying out a substantial cull.

Communications

Communication is an essential component of any deer management activity involving a team and is particularly important in a culling operation.

• Ensure all team members are equipped with radios operating on a dedicated channel. Hands free radios make communication more efficient.
• Agree protocols for radio procedures before the start of any operation. Send, receive and acknowledge are essential steps. In addition team members should be clear on:
  • Definition of terms to be used;
  • Commencing and ending the operation;
  • Moving position;
  • Methods of relaying;
  • Emergency procedures;
  • Channel allocation.

Team requirements

• Establish clear command and control structures, identify who will be responsible for the overall operation, who will co-ordinate operations, and who the rifle-team leaders are.
• Ensure all team members are briefed on their role and the operational plan.
• Ensure all team-members understand and are able to follow procedures***** for:
  • Radio communications (see Communications above).
  • Moving during the operation.
  • Dealing with wounded deer.
  • Carcass traceability.
  • Monitoring welfare.
  • Carcass extraction.
  • Contingencies including dealing with emergencies and severe weather.
  • Arrival in area of third parties not involved in the operation.
• Ensure that the individual with overall responsibility for the operation is satisfied that all those participating are capable of fulfilling their role.
• Ensure that there is communication between all team members.
• As an aid to safety, high visibility jackets should be worn by stalkers to help identify stalkers positions, particularly when the team-size exceeds 4 people. The size of teams will be dictated by the nature of the ground but the effectiveness of the team is likely to decrease if the team-size exceeds 12 rifles.
• It is helpful if team members have knowledge of the ground and local deer movements.

Moving deer to culling area.

Under authorisation from SNH, deer may be legally moved using a vehicle, to areas where they may be culled more efficiently or safely‡.

• If using a vehicle to move deer, ensure that SNHG Driving Deer With Vehicles: Code of Practice is followed.

Culling Operation

• Rifles move into position and only commence firing on instruction from the team leader.
• Stalkers targeting a specific group of deer must be aware of the location of all the members of the team targeting that group and be aware of arcs of fire.
• Any wounded animals are dealt with as a priority.
• All culling must stop at the instruction of the stalker in charge; all must acknowledge this instruction.
• Rifles to alert others when they cease firing.