Freedom of Information Request - Out of Season Authorisation
Date: 16 September 2025
Our ref: SIR181573/A5429430
Information Request – Out of Season Authorisation
Your Request
‘Under FOI can you please advise if the National Trust Property of Mar Lodge was granted an authorisation to cull hinds during august of this year. If they were please can you advise the following:
Reason for Cull, Number of Hinds and Calves Culled, did the deer culled go to the game dealer and how long is the authorisation for.’
Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold we can confirm there has been no request nor any authorisation issued to cull any female deer over 1 year old (therefore including red deer hinds) in August at Mar Lodge Estate.
Mar Lodge, as per their usual management practice, have applied for and received a 5(6) out of season authorisation issued for the culling of deer to prevent damage to unenclosed woodland for the 2025/2026 season. As per standard authorisation conditions this authorisation does not allow the culling of female deer over a year old until after the 1st September 2025.
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
