Do I need DSC1 to go deer stalking?

When I was growing up, it was something of a rare occurrence to see a roe deer on our family farm in Hampshire. Not unheard of, but certainly noteworthy. Today, it is more unusual to not see one. In fact, in certain spots on the farm you won’t just see one, but as many as 15 in a group. On one shoot day a couple of years ago, we counted 21 roe on one field. A commonly cited statistic is that there are now more deer in the UK than at any point in time since 1066. Quite how we know how many there were a thousand years ago I’m not sure, but the fact remains that deer populations are high at present, in part owing to the impact of the pandemic on deer managers’ abilities to get out, as well as the drop in demand for venison. 

Seeing all these deer, and wanting to personally source more of my own meat in order to reduce my carbon footprint, I’m itching to start deer stalking, but it is all rather a daunting prospect. Barring one (unsuccessful) stalk in Suffolk, I’m a total newbie. As with any activity that involves taking the life of an animal and using a firearm to do so, I’m acutely aware that I have a moral duty to ensure that I’m safe, following the law, that I am capable of a clean, accurate shot, and able to process the carcass correctly afterwards. 

While there are plenty of people out there willing to give advice, and even to help wannabe stalkers like me, it is hard to know who to trust, or where to begin, so I wanted to get some professional advice. I particularly wanted to understand a bit more about the various deer stalking qualifications on offer. To this end I spoke to Glyn Ingram and Nick Rout from the British Deer Society, to find out more.

My first question for them was about the DSC1 qualification (Deer Stalking Certificate). I wanted to know who it is aimed at, and at what point a stalker should think about taking the course and sitting the test.

What is DSC1?

Nick and Glyn, who were in the car en route to conduct a three day DSC1 course when we spoke, explained to me that the DSC1 is a course designed to provide a solid foundation in the key areas of knowledge that a deer stalker should have. This falls broadly into the following categories:

• Deer biology and ecology
• Deer identification
• The law around deer stalking and the use of firearms
• Safety
• Stalking techniques
• Shooting - rifle training and accuracy
• Game meat hygiene and handling

They were both keen to point out that while many of those who take the course are fairly new to stalking, there are plenty of very experienced stalkers who also take the course in order to formalise their knowledge. 

They also advised me that while it may be tempting to take DSC1 as a first step on one’s deer management journey, many people prefer to get a bit of experience under their belt first.  “It would be a bit silly to commit to about £300 worth of training and a three-day course only to discover that stalking isn’t really for you,” Nick said. 

Both Nick and Glyn recommend getting a family member or a friend with stalking experience to take out out and get your first taste of stalking, even if you’re only observing to begin with. If you’re not in the fortunate position of having someone who can take you, you could pay to go out with a reputable stalker on a good estate or with a recognised business. “I pretty strongly believe,” said Nick, “that first hand experience and learning-by-doing goes hand in hand with a formal qualification, they compliment each other. People can get quite opinionated over experience vs training, but it doesn’t really have to be an either/or situation. Why can’t it be training and experience?”

They both agree, however, that having experienced a few stalks for yourself and when you know that it is something you want to do more of, getting the DSC1 qualification is a great step. “Getting the correct habits sorted early on is really important,” added Glyn, “because that way you have a solid foundation, and we all know that bad habits can get ingrained quickly, and can be hard to undo!”

Do I need DSC1 to go deer stalking?

The short answer is ‘no’. There are plenty of people who go on paid stalks around the UK every year who do not have the qualification, as well as highly experienced deer managers who have learned through experience and having good mentors. There is no legal requirement to have the qualification before you head out to try to take your first deer. However, if you are thinking of applying for a Firearms Certificate with a view to buying a rifle, a DSC1 qualification is likely to be helpful. “Although there is no requirement in law,” said Nick, “lots of police forces like to see that an applicant has DSC1 before granting the certificate.” Furthermore, if you plan to seek a deer stalking permission, or join a syndicate, many landowners will want to see that you have the DSC1.

Will having DSC1 make me a deer stalking expert?

Again, no. DSC1 is a foundational course. Nick uses a useful analogy here. “Think of it as being a bit like your driving test. If you pass DSC1, that means you have a good foundational knowledge on all the things you need to know to be safe, ethical and legal.” As with a driving test, having passed, you should be able to head out on a solo stalk with confidence, but the likelihood is that you will still have a lot to learn when it comes to techniques and tactics, and much of that comes from experience. Like driving, where you can take a “Pass Plus” or “Advanced Driving” course, when it comes to deer stalking you can also take DSC2, the next step up from DSC1, or even more in depth Deer Management course.

“We often advise people not to rush into DSC2 straight away,” said Glyn. This qualification sees candidates conduct a real-world stalk in the presence of an expert witness. “You really need a good bit of experience under your belt before you approach DSC2,” he continued.

What happens on a DSC1 course?

There are plenty of providers of DSC1 courses. The British Deer Society is one such provider. Their courses run over three days, and consist of two class-room based instructional days, and one day of practical instruction on field safety and shooting skills. The classroom days include presentations, lectures, videos and discussions and are led by highly experienced instructors with both practical and academic knowledge.

Two aspects of stalking that I’m sure many newcomers worry about are having the confidence in one’s ability to shoot accurately, and then handling the carcass correctly in the event of a successful stalk. As mentioned above, as well as the ‘theory’ side of things, the course includes rifle training on the range, as well as demonstrations on things like gralloching and meat hygiene. “We always make sure that we have a freshly-killed deer for our courses, so that we can give a complete demonstration for how to handle the carcass,” says Glyn. “You’re not the only one who worries about taking an animal and then rendering the meat unfit for consumption through poor hygiene or a lack of knowledge.”

What does a DSC1 assessment entail?

At the end of the three day course, candidates undertake five assessments:

• Written Assessment: A multiple choice written paper with 50 questions drawn from the current Deer Management Qualification (the organisation that oversees the DSC qualifications) question bank.
• Visual Assessment: Twenty projected photographs, each to be identified by species and sex. 
• Safety Assessment: Oral questions based around scenarios in a simulated stalking environment. There are ten questions selected from the current DMQ question bank. Most of the questions will be relevant to the local area. 
• Shooting Assessment: A rifle range based shooting assessment requiring the placement two rounds at the chest of the deer target from 100m from the prone or simulated high seat position, two rounds from 70m from standing, sitting, or kneeling and, finally, two rounds from between 10 and 20m from the standing position at the head of the deer target.
• Large Game Competency Assessment: A multiple choice written paper with 40 questions drawn from the current DMQ question bank.

In addition to the training provided, BDS also provides each candidate with a comprehensive training manual that provides all the knowledge you need to pass the assessment.

Is DSC1 right for me?

Frank Stephenson, GunsOnPeg’s Director of Sales, is an enthusiastic deer stalker who has been managing deer in Suffolk for many years. He attended a DSC1 training course in 2017 and has only positive things to say. “It's a fantastic course,” he said shortly after. “Learning about the finer details and habits of the six British deer species was really enjoyable. Not only that, but it has made me approach my stalking activities in a different way, and improved my ability to identify diseases in deer. Not only can I see that it would benefit newcomers, but I think lots of experienced stalkers like myself would benefit from it hugely.” 

He also told me that the atmosphere on his course was great, surrounded as he was by people excited to learn more about stalking, with a shared passion for conservation and wild meat. “Everyone was supportive of each other, and there was a collective buzz of excitement around the group too,” he said.

Our Marketing Manager, Alex Sorisi, is also a keen stalker and has also taken the DSC1. He was even more enthusiastic, telling me: “I would not feel confident stalking without having the qualification. It helped me to understand everything from the reaction of a deer when shot to diseases and species identification; it is amazing how a fleeting glimpse of a deer’s backside or a leg can identify the species, even in a poorly lit wood.”

With the information I’ve gathered, I’m even more excited to start stalking. A family friend who is a professional deer manager has offered to take me under his wing and show me the ropes. I fully intend to take him up on this kind offer, after which, I’ll have no hesitation in signing up to a DSC1 course. Watch this space!

For more information on deer stalking training and qualifications visit British Deer Society online. Find a course near you.