An extension to the deer-hunting season in the Republic has been announced by the Government with immediate effect amid concerns about overgrazing.
This will see the continuation of the hunting of female and antlerless deer until the end of the month, and males until April 30th.
The move sees the season extended by three months for male deer and by one month for female and antlerless young males.
In addition, the 2024/2025 male deer hunting season will now begin at the earlier date of August 1st.
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The changes in law extend the hunting season for red stags, excluding in Kerry; sika stags; and fallow bucks so the season will now begin on August 1st in each year and end on April 30th of the following year.
It extends the hunting season for red hinds, excluding in Kerry; sika hinds; and fallow does, as well as antlerless deer for each species, so that the season would now end on March 31 each year.
Minister of State for Nature Malcolm Noonan and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said in a statement the move signalled the implementation of a “key recommendation” from the report of the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group.
The Deer Management Strategy Group was established by Mr McConalogue with support from Mr Noonan. The report makes a number of recommendations regarding deer management in Ireland.
“Extending the open season will provide land owners with greater flexibility for deer management and should, with time, help us to bring deer back to sustainable levels locally and nationally,” Mr Noonan said.
Mr McConalogue added: “It has become clear that deer densities in areas across the country are above a sustainable level for land management activities and are impacting on farming, forestry, nature conservation and biodiversity.
“Extending the deer hunting season is one of the priority actions identified to combat this increasing problem. There is no doubt that the wild deer population is having a significant impact on farmers.
“Land set aside for grazing livestock is being plundered and our forestry is being impacted by overgrazing which prevents regeneration.”
Niall Ó Donnchú, director general of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said: “We are also making improvements to how we manage applications for deer hunting licences, with a new online portal in development. This will become a one-stop-shop for all licences in due course.
“Applications for deer hunting licences for the 2024/2025 seasons will be managed through the new portal. This will provide a fast, efficient and user friendly process.”
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