Authorisations to Cull Deer
Category:
Deer Management
Delivered by:
Deer Commission for Scotland
Authorisations are issued by The Deer Commission of Scotland (DCS) under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996. They allow individuals to cull deer in circumstances when they would not normally have the legal right to shoot them, for example to prevent deer damaging natural habitats.
Authorisations also enable individuals to drive deer with vehicles in order to cull them. Authorisations are required when shooting deer in the following circumstances:
- during the Closed Season - with few exceptions shooting during this period is prohibited;
- at night - the shooting of deer is not permitted between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise;
- on land belonging to someone else - the right to shoot deer belongs to the owner of the land or those permitted to do so by the owner. In certain unusual circumstances it may be necessary to shoot deer on someone else's land without this permission.
