Stalking Diary

There is concern among stalkers over some of the sweeping changes proposed by the Government’s deer management strategy for England

IChris Rogers is a deer manager in East Anglia, CIC head measurer and NGO committee member

’ve got a lot of different hats and not only hunting-branded baseball caps, tweed flat caps or, as my wife likes to call it, my Mr Bloom wide-brimmed gardening hat. I also wear various hats for the organisations, regional meetings or other projects I get involved with as part of my volunteering in the deer management sector.

Despite all my extracurricular activities, it’s important for me to remember my primary role is that of an estate deer manager. As an employee, there are times when I have to go against my personal views to fulfil my responsibilities, although I’ll always put my viewpoint across, giving the estate options in order to work out how they want to proceed.

This month, Defra released a consultation on the proposed deer management strategy for England. This is the most significant proposal regarding deer and their management in England since the original Deer Act and it’s causing me, and others in the sector, some concern. However, there may be many landowners out there who see it as a positive change in helping them to control deer.

Incredibly harmful