Freedom of Information Request - Deer /Wildlife manager costs
Date: 15 December 2025
Our ref: SIR182450/A5627443
Information Request – Deer /Wildlife manager costs
Your Request
Can I ask how much it costs to furnish a new wildlife manager with all he needs to carry out his duty, culling deer. This includes vehicles if they are needed. A list of equipment would be great also if that can be included.
Our Response
Within NatureScot our only full-time wildlife managers involved with day-to-day deer culling are based at our Central Highland National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
We do not we do not hold data that provides a comprehensive breakdown of employee costs against role. This means that EIRs Regulation 10(4)(a) (Information not held) applies to your request for the information.
Below are some indicative costs to be helpful. Please note these costs are based on an estimation of what it would cost for one of our deer managers working on an NNR assuming no resources are already available to them. This is not often the case as all serviceable equipment (except dogs) is returned by staff vacating a position and reissued, therefore we will make very significant savings on any staff joining to fill vacated posts. This also does not cover wages, pension contributions, allowances, insurances, vehicle maintenance or costs of any training required.
Personal equipment
• Binoculars £3000
• Footwear £500
• Thermal Spotter £5000
• Clothing £2000
• Deer legal rifle, appropriate scope, bipod, moderator £5000
Extraction
• Pickup £40,000 and
• Argo- £40,000 (shared between staff and used for other duties including firefighting) and trailer £5000
or
• Pony £7000, saddle £3000 or
• Quad £13000 and trailer £4000
Dog
• £1000
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
