What can I shoot?
There are six different deer species in the UK that can be shot but only during their open season.
What do I need?
A responsible deer stalker should always carry the following in their kit:
- A telescope or binoculars
- A knife of appropriate design – with finger guard, an impervious handle and sheath
- Sterile gloves or hand sanitiser to ensure hygienic carcass handling
- Sufficient ammunition for stalking and any necessary further dispatch
- A hand or head torch, if stalking in the evening, to look for hair or blood signs and to assist with safe gralloching and extraction
- A means of extracting the carcass hygienically
- A bipod or sticks of an appropriate design to aid standing, sitting, kneeling and prone shots
- Means of communication for emergency contact
- A first aid kit
Head measuring
BASC offers our fantastic head measuring service in partnership with the British Deer Society and Shooting Times magazine.
Biosecurity guidance for deer-stalking
Following basic biosecurity practices when stalking can help to protect us as deer stalkers, wildlife and prevent cross-species contamination and the unintentional spread of disease and invasive alien species (IAS).