Deer Management Incentive Scheme pilots

Globally and in Scotland, nature is in decline and we face a climate emergency. Greater urgency is required to meet the challenges of these twin crises and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy sets ambitious targets to halt nature loss by 2030 and deliver nature restoration across Scotland by 2045. 

Deer management and a significant reduction in wild deer numbers is required if we are to meet the ambitious but necessary targets to restore nature and reach net-zero. We know, however, that 80% of deer management is carried out by the private sector at a net cost to deer managers.

NatureScot has therefore launched two deer management incentive scheme pilots to trial ways to support deer managers in tackling high deer numbers in a part of Central Scotland and in an area of the Highlands. 

For more information on the Deer Management Incentive Scheme pilots, please click on the headings below, see our Frequently Asked Questions, or contact us at either: [email protected] or [email protected]. Please note that for both pilot areas, public land is excluded.

Central Scotland deer management incentive scheme pilot

The Central Scotland pilot scheme covers an area of 959 km2 in Central Scotland. It is located between Glasgow in the south and Thornhill in the north, and bounded in the west by Drymen and Aberfoyle and in the east by Stirling and Denny. In this area the focus will be on lowland and urban roe deer management, as well as expanding red deer populations.

Within the scheme area, payment will be made for each female deer over the age of one year, or juvenile male or female deer, that is culled additional to those deer normally expected to be culled. 

The scheme will start in autumn 2024 and run to March 2025 with expectation to repeat in winter 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, after which its effectiveness will be reviewed and a report with recommendations and lessons learned produced. This will be used to develop any future incentive schemes.

Map

Map showing the boundary of the Central Scotland pilot scheme demarcated with a red line which runs around the inside of the map shape. 

View larger image

Detailed guidance and application form for Central Scotland scheme

Deer Culling Incentivisation Pilot Scheme – Central Scotland (roe/red)

Deer are iconic species with cultural significance in Scotland and form an important part of our biodiversity. But their high numbers and lack of natural predators mean they can have a negative impact in our woodlands, peatlands and other habitats. We need to expand our forests and woodlands if we are to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, but it is simply not possible to do this if the high densities of deer are not tackled. Deer populations have increased in number and spread in range over the past 50 years. Sustainable deer management is vital if we are to bring populations into balance with the rest of nature. Real progress has been made, but a significant reduction in wild deer numbers is required if we are to reach net-zero. It is estimated that an increase in the national cull of 25% or 50,000 deer each year across all species will be needed over several years to achieve the targets in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

This scheme is a pilot project looking to assess whether the provision of direct financial support, to those culling red and roe, can lead to an increase in the annual culling of these species.

The pilot area selected for red/roe is based on the original project area as considered in the following NatureScot reports:

This pilot area is an area to the north of Glasgow and east of Stirling, totalling 95,889 ha.

This pilot area has been identified as having all the characteristics of the lowlands. It encapsulates the transition from rural to urban environments with land use types comprising: 

  • commercial forestry 
  • private and National Forest Estate woodlands
  • agricultural and amenity land
  • Local Authority owned land
  • Industrialised brownfield and development sites 
  • small holdings 

The range of public interests delivered within the pilot area include: 

  • woodland expansion 
  • protection and enhancement of native woodlands
  • managing deer impacts in relation to designated sites
  • economic impacts associated with damage to woodland agricultural land, private gardens and from deer vehicle collisions
  • economic benefits derived from sporting leases and venison sales.

Who and where is eligible to participate?

  • Participation in the incentive scheme is open to those holding the legal right, to take or kill deer, on specified land within the Central Scotland Pilot Scheme Area (as outlined on the map above). 
  • Participants may live outwith the pilot area but must operate within it, on land on which they have the legal right to take or kill deer.
  • Only the persons registered in the scheme for each property will be eligible for payment. If there are multiple deer controllers operating on the same landholding, then only those persons registered to that landholding via the Deer App will receive direct payment from NatureScot for their reported culls. In these instances, the minimum culling threshold of four female roe/red or calves per 100 Ha, will apply to the shared property area, rather than each participant individually.
  • The scheme will not apply to deer culled on the National Forest Estate, or land on which deer management is integral to planning conditions, or to NatureScot staff.
  • Application to cull deer on land subject to any other publicly funded agreement such as the SFGS deer management option or an AECS agreement must be declared and payment for deer culled must be over and above that laid out in the respective Deer Management Plan.
  • All participants must hold Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) Level 1 (or equivalent) as a minimum requirement. We expect that participants, who are currently only qualified to DSC Level 1, will be working towards DSC Level 2 (or equivalent) through the duration of the pilot scheme.

What is being paid for?

  • To ensure that culling is additional to the levels currently recorded in the pilot scheme area; payment will only be available for the number of red/roe deer culled above a minimum culling rate. This will be four female red/roe or calves per 100ha, on each participating property. For those managing deer on areas of land less than 100ha, payment will only be available for culls which are additional to the first four adult females or calves culled. 
  • Once the culling threshold (as described above) has been met, payment will be available for the culling of female red/roe deer over one year of age with a payment of £70 /animal. A payment of £35 will also be available for juvenile red/roe (male or female) under one year of age.
  • A total of £95,000 is available for the 2024/2025 female season. Once this maximum budget is neared, participants will be notified that further payments will not be made for any new claims beyond that point. Any claims leading up this point will be dealt with on a ‘first come, first served’, basis. Culls reported after the cut-off point may not be eligible for payment.
  • Funding for this pilot is in the form of a grant as we are not entering into a contract for the provision of goods or services. However, it is not classed as out of scope for VAT. It is the participant’s responsibility to determine whether VAT is payable on payments received, depending on individual circumstances. 

How do I get involved?

The opportunity to submit an application to participate in the pilot scheme will open on 15 August 2024 and close on 6 September 2024. Interested parties are invited to complete and submit the following form:

Application Form

How will culls be reported?

  • Assessment of all application forms will be undertaken to check each participant’s eligibility. Any new reporting properties will be registered on NatureScot’s Deer Online Services by the NatureScot. Personal data will be held in accordance with NatureScot’s data retention policies. Please view these on our Privacy policy web page.
  • NatureScot will establish the culling threshold that needs to be met before payments can be made. This will be based on the property size. 
  • Once participation in the scheme is confirmed, individuals will be issued with a bank detail form, along with instructions for registration for use of the Deer App. In registering for use of the Deer App, participants will have agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of scheme participation. Bank details forms and Deer App registration must be completed by 1 October 2024.
  • All participants must use the NatureScot Deer App and associated tagging system for geo referencing the location of the cull, providing photographic evidence and reporting of all deer culled. Carcass tags with QR code and unique ID number will be provided, free of charge, to all participants either by pre-arranged collection or by posting out to scheme participants.
  • Culling of roe/red stags and all other deer species will be reported via the Deer App. This will replace the need to submit separate cull returns to NatureScot for the period of the pilot scheme.
  • Carcass disposal is at the discretion of the participants. The route of disposal will be recorded via reporting on the Deer App as either: sold and to whom, given away, processed for own consumption or left in field as unfit for human consumption. 
  • The Deer App will have additional functionality to include links to general scheme guidance, BPG, and FSS guidelines.

How will participants be paid? 

  • Once participation in the scheme is confirmed individuals will be issued with a bank detail form, along with instructions for registration for use of the Deer App. In registering for use of the Deer App, participants will have agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of the scheme. Bank details forms and Deer App registration must be completed by 1 October 2024.
  • NatureScot will track progress from the Deer App reports on a weekly basis. Using declared additional culls logged on the Deer App, NatureScot will organise payments to be made to each scheme participant at three break points: 30 November 2024, 31 January 2025 and 16 March 2025. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 

Will the scheme be audited?

  • Compliance monitoring will be undertaken by NatureScot who will review the reported culls, species, age, sex, and geo-referenced location via the Deer App.  NatureScot staff reserve the right to spot checks of shot/gralloch sites.
  • Further audit of financial transactions will be crosschecked against data recorded in the Deer App and payments made to scheme participants.
  • Any non-compliance breaches will result in the individual being removed from the scheme and payment withheld.
  • Any reports of fraudulent activity will be reported to Police Scotland. 

When can we start?

  • The scheme will commence 1 October 2024, and finish by the 16 March 2025. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 
  • Payments will be made following each of the three break points. These will be on 30 November 2024, 31 January 2025 and 16 March 2025. Payment will only be made for culls reported by NatureScots Deer App prior to these break points. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 

Contacts:

For any queries related to the Central Scotland Pilot Scheme, please email [email protected].

South Loch Ness deer management incentive scheme pilot

The South Loch Ness pilot scheme will cover an area 527km2 on the south-eastern side of Loch Ness in the Highlands, where the focus will be on incentivising control of invasive non-native sika deer in native woodlands and commercial forestry. The scheme area is orientated south-west to north-east and lies parallel to the Great Glen between the south-east shore of Loch Ness and the Monadhliath Mountains to the south-east.

Within the scheme area, payment will be made for each female deer over the age of one year, or juvenile male or female deer, that is culled additional to those deer normally expected to be culled. 

The scheme will start in autumn 2024 and run to March 2025 with expectation to repeat in winter 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, after which its effectiveness will be reviewed and a report with recommendations and lessons learned produced. This will be used to develop any future incentive schemes.

Map

Map showing the boundary of the South Loch Ness pilot scheme demarcated with a purple line which encompasses land between the south-east shore of Loch Ness and the Monadhliath Mountains which lie in a south-west to north-east orientation to the east of Loch Ness..

View larger image

Detailed guidance and application form for South Loch Ness scheme

Deer Culling Incentivisation Pilot Scheme - South Loch Ness Sika

Sika (Cervus nippon) are an invasive non-native species of deer previously introduced to Great Britain. Originating from Japan, Taiwan and mainland East Asia, sika are predominantly a forest and woodland species, which can have significant negative impacts on newly planted, established and regenerating woodlands. 

Because sika can maintain high reproductive rates, a high proportion of the female sika population needs to be culled annually to effect a decrease in population size. This can be a significant challenge. Sika and red deer can hybridise naturally in the wild to produce fertile offspring. Although sika culls have been increasing steadily across Scotland in recent years, there is little sign that culls are affecting sika abundance or distribution. Without more focus on the species, their population will continue expand and become established in new areas.

This scheme is a pilot project looking to assess whether the provision of direct financial support, to those culling sika, can lead to an increase in the annual culling of this invasive deer species.

The pilot area selected for sika is the south-eastern side of Loch Ness. This area is based on the prevalence of sika deer, the number of sika culls as well as reports agricultural damage and an increasing number of applications to NatureScot, for authorisations for culling out of season and at night, to prevent damage to agriculture and woodland. 

The pilot area totals approximately 527km2. The area was outlined to include the most likely sika habitat, with land uses comprising commercial forestry, private and National Forest Estate woodlands, agricultural, amenity land and small holdings.

Who and where is eligible to participate?

  • Participation in the incentive scheme is open to those holding the legal right, to take or kill deer, on specified land within the South Loch Ness Pilot Scheme Area.
  • Participants may live outwith the pilot area but must operate within it, on land on which they have the legal right to take or kill deer.
  • Only the persons registered in the scheme for each property will be eligible for payment. If there are multiple deer controllers operating on the same landholding, then only those persons registered to that landholding via the Deer App will receive direct payment from NatureScot for their reported culls. In these instances, the minimum culling threshold of five sika hinds or calves per 100 Ha, will apply to the shared property area, rather than each participant individually.
  • The scheme will not apply to deer culled on the National Forest Estate, or land on which deer management is integral to planning conditions, or to NatureScot staff.
  • Application to cull deer on land subject to any other publicly funded agreement such as the SFGS deer management option or an AECS agreement must be declared and payment for deer culled must be over and above that laid out in the respective Deer Management Plan.
  • All participants must hold Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) Level 1 (or equivalent) as a minimum requirement. We expect that participants, who are currently only qualified to DSC Level 1, will be working towards DSC Level 2 (or equivalent) through the duration of the pilot scheme.

What is being paid for?

  • To ensure that culling is additional to the levels currently recorded in the pilot scheme area; payment will only be available for the number of deer culled above a minimum culling rate. This will be five female sika or calves per 100ha, on each participating property. For those managing deer on areas of land less than 100ha, payment will only be available for culls which are additional to the first five adult females or calves culled. On the more extensive holdings, significant areas of land which are unlikely to be occupied by sika, may be discounted on agreement with NatureScot.
  • Once the culling threshold (as described above) has been met, payment will be available for the culling of female sika deer over one year of age with a payment of £70 /animal. A payment of £35 will also be available for juvenile sika (male or female) under one year of age.
  • A total of £95,000 is available for the 2024/2025 female sika deer season. Once this maximum budget is neared, participants will be notified that further payments will not be made for any new claims beyond that point. Any claims leading up this point will be dealt with on a ‘first come, first served’, basis. Culls reported after the cut-off point may not be eligible for payment.
  • Funding for this pilot is in the form of a grant as we are not entering into a contract for the provision of goods or services. However, it is not classed as out of scope for VAT. It is the participant’s responsibility to determine whether VAT is payable on payments received, depending on individual circumstances.

How do I get involved?

  • The opportunity to submit an application to participate in the pilot scheme will open on 15 August 2024 and close on 6 September 2024. Interested parties are invited to complete and submit the following form: 

Application Form

How will culls be reported?

  • Assessment of all application forms will be undertaken to check each participant’s eligibility. Any new reporting properties will be registered on NatureScot’s Deer Online Services by NatureScot. Personal data will be held in accordance with NatureScot’s data retention policies. Please view these on our Privacy policy web page.
  • NatureScot will establish the culling threshold that needs to be met on each land-holding before payments can be made. This will be based on property size to meet the minimum culling rate of five hinds or calves per 100Ha. However, on the more extensive holdings, significant areas of land which are unlikely to be occupied by sika, may be discounted on agreement with NatureScot.
  • Once participation in the scheme is confirmed, individuals will be issued with a bank detail form, along with instructions for downloading and using our mobile phone-based Deer App. In registering for use of the Deer App, participants will have agreed to comply with these terms and conditions of the scheme. Bank details forms and Deer App registration must be completed by 1 October 2024.
  • All participants must use the NatureScot Deer App and associated tagging system for geo referencing the location of the cull, providing photographic evidence and reporting of all deer culled. Payment will only be made to registered Deer App users. Carcass tags with QR code and unique ID number will be provided, free of charge, to all participants either by pre-arranged collection or by posting out to scheme participants.
  • Culling of sika stags and all other deer species will be reported via the Deer App. This will replace the need to submit separate cull returns to NatureScot for the period of the pilot scheme.
  • Carcass disposal is at the discretion of the participants. The route of disposal will be recorded via the Deer App as either: sold and to whom, given away, processed for own consumption or left in field as unfit for human consumption. 
  • The Deer App will have additional functionality to include links to general scheme guidance, BPG, and FSS guidelines. 

How will participants be paid? 

  • Once participation in the scheme is confirmed individuals will be issued with a bank detail form, along with instructions for registration for use of the Deer App. In registering for use of the Deer App, participants will have agreed to comply with these terms and conditions of the scheme. Bank details forms and Deer App registration must be completed by 1 October 2024.
  • NatureScot will track each participant’s cull progress from the information they have submitted via the Deer App. NatureScot will then organise payment for the additional level of culls carried out. These payments will be made following three break points: 30 November 2024, 31 January 2025 and 16 March 2025. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 

Will the scheme be audited?

  • Compliance monitoring will be undertaken by NatureScot who will review the reported culls, species, age, sex, and geo-referenced location via the Deer App.  NatureScot staff will also carry out spot checks of shot / gralloch sites. 
  • Further audit of financial transactions will be crosschecked against data recorded in the Deer App and payments made to scheme participants.
  • Any non-compliance breaches will result in the individual being removed from the scheme and payment withheld.
  • Any fraudulent activity will be reported to Police Scotland. 

When can we start?

  • The scheme will commence 1 October 2024, and finish by the 16 March 2025. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 
  • Payments will be made following each of the three break points. These will be on 30 November 2024, 31 January 2025 and 16 March 2025. Payment will only be made for culls reported by NatureScot’s Deer App prior to these break points. The scheme may be cut off at any earlier date if the allocated budget is reached. 

Contacts:

For any queries related to the South Loch Ness Pilot Scheme, please email: [email protected].

NatureScot Deer App

NatureScot has developed a new mobile app to help collect deer management data and gain a better insight into deer populations and culls across Scotland. The app will make it easier for deer managers to submit cull returns and improve venison traceability.

The app is being made available to those taking part in our pilot incentive schemes initially and will then be made freely available to the industry. Using the app in the field is simple when combined with the pre-printed deer tags that will be provided to users. Our video below gives guidance on how to use the app and for more information see our Frequently Asked Questions.

NatureScot Deer Management App - Instructions below
Click for a full description
Duration
02:46

How to use the NatureScot Deer App

  • Open the app and click “Shoot” from the menu to begin.
  • Click “Scan” to scan the tag’s QR code with your mobile phone camera. This begins a unique cull record and allows the app to capture and fill in your location and time of the shot.
  • Attach the tag to the deer carcass through the cut in the hock.
  • Fill in the detail required using the simple drop-down menus. This includes species, sex and age. 
  • The app also allows you to capture optional information, such as condition of carcass and extraction method. 
  • Select “Take Carcass Picture” to take a photo.
  • Make sure all of the deer is in frame, ideally positioned sideways. For the pilot incentive schemes, the image must show the intact carcass, including the head, and the sex of the deer. 
  • Once all the required information is entered, click finish to save your record and go to the larder. 
  • Once at the larder – click “Larder Intake” and scan the tag attached to the deer to pick up where you left off in the field. 
  • Process the animal as normal and once finished, enter the required information such as health and weight. 
  • Click Finish to save your completed record. 

The app can operate offline and will upload records when signal is available. Cull records are returned to NatureScot automatically, saving time and effort for the deer stalker. 

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