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5 hours ago, Tyla said:

To sell to game dealers you only need a hunter number. You can get that by doing your game meat hygiene certificate, a one day course through NGO. DSC courses offer this as part of the 3, I think, day course for a lot more money.

If you are a total novice then perhaps the DSC course is worthwhile but you'd be far better finding someone to mentor you as there is only so much a course can teach you. Experience is far more valuable. I have met stalkers with all 3 level of DSC qualifications who have only ever shot a handful of deer.

I shoot and sell a fair number of deer and haven't done any DSC courses.

Thanks for setting me right on that ?

that explains why a lad I know in west Yorkshire sell to a game dealer without DSC

it wasn’t that long ago that you needed nothing to sell to game dealers around here, a phone call was all that was needed and if they wouldn’t take it you just took it to the local working mans club in the boot of your motor, sadly now I give all my game away, 20 years ago it was a good little earner, £1.50 a rabbit, wood pigeon £ 1.00 each, pheasants £2.50 each and when we got venison you could do half a weeks wage off one animal 

Edited by Stavross
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20 hours ago, villaman said:

Do you need DSC 1&2 for shooting deer ?

You dont need them to shoot deer . I have my DMQ 1&2 but it basically depends on what you intend doing in the future regarding deer stalking. If you are just shooting the odd deer on your own permission it would be purely your personal choice , for beginners DMQ is very informative. Education is always a good thing but nothing replaces experience. If you wish to join a syndicate you will most certainly need qualifications. 

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Did my Dsc 1 for myself, met some good people and learned a hell of a lot.

You only need 1 and 2 for Scotland and forestry commission land.It includes your food handling so you get your hunter number for game dealers. 

But you are allowed to sell 300 a year before registration as a food business  crazy rules but thats Englandshire for you. 

Its not a legal requirement  but in these health n safety times a lot of forestry and estate management will ask for it .

So if you have permission and a good landowner no matter but if you want to learn where the nastys are on lymph nodes and what t.b looks like its worth it imho.

The bott flys ketts, and other nauseating buggs ,ticks and the evil desease are worth learning about atb

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9 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

I also think that in the future the police will not grant deer on your FAC without DMQ qualifications,  just my thoughts in this modern day and age where you need a ticket for everything. 

They are already trying to demand, with no statutory grounds, qualifications to grant deer as a quarry. It's ludicrous that shooting a deer from a high seat requires qualifications and yet night shooting foxes requires no training at all. A training course doesn't prepare you for either in my opinion. All about money in my opinion, if they were concerned about competence mentoring would be a better option.

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Although I don’t have any DSC qualifications , I shoot a few deer and take a few people stalking.    I think if there had been courses years ago when I started out I would have benefited from attending.

       This is just my opinion, yes it’s probably a bit of a money making thing . But the way things are going I think it’s better for shooting to self regulate , than have stupid controls imposed on us by dumb ass politicians. 
    Also I know plenty of guys who have attended courses as a way into the sport and said that they learned a lot . 

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As many have said you do not need a DSC to shoot Deer.

The detail about selling shot deer into the food chain is debatable but the guidelines suggest you can in low number if it is not a business, but it would be useful to get the food hygiene anyway (either by itself or as part of the DSC).

More and more people/organisations are asking for a DSC before they allow you on their land, this is simply some sort of arse covering exercise, but it's up to them of course.   The police often appreciate a DSC or even demand it before granting Deer/calibre.

I was bought up with access to deer (and much more wildlife) and gained knowledge from many very experienced people along the way, but if you are totally new to the game then a DSC will enlighten you with a few home truths.   It does not make you a deer stalker, life and the years do that, but it can head you off in the direction.

It can, and is, seen as a money making exercise by many, some of whom know far more than the course can teach you but need the qualification for the likes of the FC etc!

I have shot deer for many years, I have sold more than I can remember into the food chain and I have been a Deer Mentor for Wiltshire, Thames Valley and the Met Police, I don't have any DSC.

Life moves on for better or worse, but I always look at it like this, who would you rather go out in the field with, the Gamekeeper, who's Dad, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, etc etc., have been doing this forever, or the guy who had never shot in his life but did a DSC so he could get a deer rifle?

ATB! :thumbs:

Edited by Deker
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DSC 1and 2 are not needed to shoot/ control Deer it is a money making game, I have both and I can tell you the standards of some of the witnesses / are not very inspiring to say the least, if you want to qualify to tender leases With the forestry commission or its contractors Then you have to have the DSC qualifications, or you will not be considered, I have stalked since the mid 80’s, and I can tell you there are stalkers out there That will run circles around most of the DSC so called professionals, but live there lives quietly, so long as you can prove you have need for a Deer caliber, they should grant it, 

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