How to deal with deer

wicklowman1980

Hi everybody, Im new here. First time posting but have followed for a while. Anyway I'm a young(ish) farmer working and taking over the home place. Fairly mixed enterprise, milking 80 cows, bit of tillage, a few sheep on the hill and a couple of small blocks of forestry.
My problem or concern is with the number of deer in the area and tb, tree damage, crop damage. As well as our own bit of forestry, there are a few coillte woods around the perimeter and joining us on the hill. We've had a few scares with TB and 2 neighbours have had reactors in recent times. I just dont want to be next. It would be devestating as well as heartbreaking for the father if we went down and financially we would be at the mercy of the bank. They also do be in the barley and and our relatively young plantation of hardwoods. Last year we reseeded 30 acres and we had to redo some of that after the f****** stripped it bare.

There was a local man used to shoot a few off it every year and it seemed to keep a lid on the numbers a bit but he doesnt come up much any more due to health and also just slowing down a bit with age. I dont shoot except for the shotgun and a .22 for keeping a check on crows and vermin and at that I'm not that pushed about shooting. I wouldnt really be on for shooting them myself as I wouldnt eat them cos I just never really liked the taste and wouldnt have the time to butcher and do all the rest.
We have deer fencing around the woods and have tried bird bangers, scaring them with the shotgun, running them with the quad etc but they keep coming back.
Is there anything else I could try to move them on? Is there any companies or experts that specialize in this sort of thing? I have had a few lads wanting to shoot on it, but to be brutally honest, I either didnt know them and didnt like the cut of them or knew them and wouldnt want them around them around the place if you know what I mean.
Anybody any suggestions or advice? Is my fear about TB justified?

Mad4simmental

Ask in the shooting form and you'll be ate with lads looking to shoot. Get one with plenty of experience and insurance ect.

The Letheram

Private message sent.

blindside88

Mad4simmental wrote: »

Ask in the shooting form and you'll be ate with lads looking to shoot. Get one with plenty of experience and insurance ect.

+1 on that, most lads are now paying for shooting rights for deer. My opinion would be that you'd be better off getting someone very good to do it for free than having some wannabe pay you to do it.

However if it's a desirable area you could probably sell the sporting rights and generate some extra income for the farm of you were interested in that

Alucan

PM sent

gozunda

Mad4simmental wrote: »

Ask in the shooting form and you'll be ate with lads looking to shoot. Get one with plenty of experience and insurance ect.

It's quite amazing the number of shooting forum posters turn up at the drop of a hat / Bambi / other here ... . Personally I would say go with someone you know. Too risky bringing unknowns in IME.

sako 85

I'm a fellow farmer and also a full licenced and insured deer stalker. I'm based in Wicklow if you would like my assistance I would be happy to help. If so PM your number and I can give you a call to discuss.

wicklowman1980

Plenty of offers from lads looking to shoot them anyway. I wasn't expecting all the messages.

greysides

Is my fear about TB justified?

Yes. I've heard it said that TB in deer runs riot through them and the affected ones die off quickly so that it burns out. However while that was happening they could be an important source.

There are many farmers bordering forestry areas that would share your concern and with good reason.

lakill Farm

anyone shoots a nice deer and doesn't want it I may be interested. But you would either need to know how to bleed it out or have me within a mile of you so I can do it quickly

Farmer

Out of curiosity, how fast do you need to be with bleeding one out (ideally)

Is just a case of hind legs up with the loader and cut the jugular, or I'd there more to it

ganmo

Loaders sometimes aren't to hand where the deer drops, more like a gate or a steep bank

whelan2

can the female deer be shot after november 1st?

John_Rambo

Looks like wicklowman1980's going to be having a home grown roast venison Xmas dinner!!!




Jealous.

ganmo

http://gohunting.ie/deer-hunting-season-ireland/
Yup