Permit backlog will see huge fall in numbers of deer culled

Less than half the number of permits needed by deer hunters this autumn have so far been issued. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Less than half the number of permits needed by deer hunters this autumn have so far been issued — and the Irish Deer Commission said the delays, compounded with a downturn in demand for venison, mean fewer deer will be culled from forestry and farmland this year.

It will be several months before the backlog is cleared, the deer commission expects.

In the absence of a natural predator it falls on man to maintain deer numbers at sustainable levels

Each year some 5,500 permits are issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) by the start of the hunting season on September 1 and an estimated 40,000 wild deer culled.

However, only 2,000 permits have been processed to-date because fewer staff are working from the office and staff working from home cannot access the application database from their laptops.

Deer culling in Killarney National Park today...a number of areas are closed to the public pic.twitter.com/bVEdMA2KUW

— Irish Deer Commission (@DeerCommission) February 26, 2020

The Irish Deer Commission said there is considerable concern “and growing frustration” among thousands of licensed deer hunters and deer management groups.

“In the absence of a natural predator it falls on man to maintain deer numbers at sustainable levels and to reduce any negative effect they may have on farming, forestry, and the wider ecosystem,” the IDC said in a statement.

“While we sympathise with the challenges caused by Covid-19 for NPWS in the issuing of permits, we have engaged with NPWS in good faith since June while representing our members regarding the potential permit issues caused by Covid-19. However we have been left frustrated and dismayed by NPWS inability to engage and adapt,” a spokesman said.

The delays arise “as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency

The permit delays, along with a worldwide slump in the demand for venison due to Covid-19, will mean far less deer will be culled.

The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said the delays arise “as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency and the effects this has had on travel and working arrangements”.

While staff in the unit that deals with the issuing of licenses continued to attend the office during the crisis, given restrictions, the numbers of such staff attending were restricted, it said.

“In addition, the database system used for managing deer licensing is not currently a web-based one and a number of technical challenges arose in facilitating the processing of such licenses for staff working remotely with laptops”. Staff is working flat out to eliminate the backlog as quickly as possible, a spokesman added.

Data released by NPWS to the IDC show that 41,148 deer were culled by 5,515 licensed deer hunters in the 12-month period up to February 28th, 2019.

The Irish Deer Commission is seeking an online application process which would greatly speed up the issuing of permits.