Donal Hickey: Nobody knows exactly how many deer are in Ireland

The big challenge is to get numbers down to sustainable levels — but there’s much more to deer control than simply culling

Hundreds of Red & Sika Deer in Killarney. Nationally, under the Wildlife Acts, annual licences are required to legally hunt deer in the open season from September to February. More than 6,200 deer hunting licences were issued last season. Picture: Don MacMonagle

In the space of a year, a record 55,008 wild deer have been shot under licence from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Nobody knows exactly how many deer are in Ireland, but the population has grown hugely, with forestry expansion providing extra cover.

Twice in one week, I’ve come upon dead deer on the roadside, obviously hit by vehicles. There are widespread reports of traffic accidents involving deer, with one driver believed to have died whilst trying to avoid a deer.