Grassroots
Countryside Alliance Ireland
with us. This is invaluable for alerting us to information of
immediate and current interest and we thank you for this. We
also enjoy hearing about our members’ events and activities
– please keep these communications coming and if we can
publicise a relevant event for you, don’t hesitate to let us know.
National Countrysports Fair, Scarvagh,
County Down – 6 & 7 June 2015
Our first event of the season is the National Countrysports
Fair which will be held at its new location of Scarvagh.
This year CAI will have a significant presence with an
extended marquee that will host the British Deer Society
(NI) and Firefly of Newtownards. We are looking forward
to exhibiting at the event’s wonderful new location and there
are many activities and attractions to suit all ages. We wish
the organisers well at their new venue.
The Great Game Fairs of Ireland – discounted
entry -
exclusive for CAI members
Shanes Castle, Antrim – 27 & 28 June 2015
& Birr Castle, Birr – 29 & 30 August 2015
Countryside Alliance Ireland is delighted to announce
that we have procured tickets on behalf of our members
to attend the Game Fairs at Shanes Castle (Saturday 27
& Sunday 28 June 2015) and Birr Castle (Saturday 29 &
Sunday 30 August 2015) at a discounted rate. As such, we
are offering two adult entry tickets for the price of one.
Two adult tickets for £10!
These Fairs give CAI the ideal opportunity to showcase
the organisation’s work while engaging with members,
potential members and the public in general. At Shanes
Castle, our marquee will play host to the British Deer
Society (NI) and PAW NI and to the Wild Deer Association
of Ireland, The Irish Red Grouse Association Conservation
Trust and The Irish Fly Fishing and Game Shooting
Museum at Birr Castle.
The Fairs offer something for all of the family and we are
once again delighted to be playing such a vital part.
Discounted tickets must be ordered in advance through the
CAI offices, they cannot be purchased at the Fairs. Tickets
for Shanes Castle are available to order now!
To avail of this superb offer, please contact our NI office on
+44 28 9263 9911 quoting your membership number and we
can take payment by debit or credit card. Last date for ordering
discounted tickets to ensure delivery is Tuesday 23 June 2015.
No exceptions.
(Birr Castle tickets will be available for order from
the beginning of July – we shall keep you updated.)
Available
from your
n ws ge ts
or by
subscription
THE NATIONAL COUNTRYSPORTS NEWSPAPER
Every issue of The Countryman’s Weekly is packed full of articles
covering a wide range of subjects that will be of interest to you.
Whether you regularly participate in countrysports activities or are more of a
spectator, quality articles on Gundogs, Lurchers, Terriers, Ferrets, Hunting, Shooting,
Wildfowling, Stalking, Country Shows, Gamekeeping, Pest Control, Sporting History,
Country Recipes, Falconry and Angling are sure to appeal.
The Countryman’s Weekly is available from all good newsagents or you can take
advantage of our discounted subscription offers and have it delivered to your door.
Tel: 01752 762990 Fax: 01752 771715
Web:
www.countrymansweekly.comAs our largest wild land mammal, deer are magnificent
creatures and fully deserving of their place in the
environment. However, in the absence of predators to control
their numbers, it falls on deer hunters to manage deer at
sustainable levels, minimising damage to crops and the
environment.
In Ireland, we are increasingly seeing evidence that such
damage does not exist or is reduced significantly. An example
of this is data recently released by National Parks & Wildlife
Service (NPWS) that contradicts previous claims that
Ireland’s wild deer population is increasing and out of control.
The NPWS report contains details of deer cull returns, a
requirement for licensed deer hunters who wish to cull wild
deer during the open hunting season, from September 1st to
February 28th. Hunters must declare the location, species,
gender, and number of deer culled. These latest cull returns,
show 29,766 animals were culled in 2014, a continuous
decline since 2009, when 34,820 deer were culled. The decline
in the national deer cull is despite a significant increase in
the number of deer hunters, with 4,651 deer hunting licenses
granted in 2014, an increase of over 2,100 licenses in the last
ten years.
County Wicklow, which accounts for over one third of the
national deer cull, saw the largest decline with a 22% decline
in the number of deer culled since 2010.
The NPWS data also includes details of permits requested by
landowners under section 42 of the Wildlife Acts. “Section
42” of the Wildlife Acts, permits the culling of deer during
Deer Management
in Ireland
Game and Country Fairs