Data released by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to the Irish Deer Commission show 78,175 wild deer were culled in the 12-month period up February 28th, 2023. The cull sets a record for the number of wild deer culled, up 41% from the previous record set in 2022 when 55,008 deer were culled. Hunters must make an annual declaration to NPWS stating the number of deer culled by county, sex, and species, and this data is provided to the Irish Deer Commission annually. While the data is not independently verified, hunters are required to sign a declaration confirming the accuracy of the information returned.
However, Damien Hannigan a spokesperson for the Irish Deer Commission stated “the actual deer cull is likely to be significantly higher as the cull total does not include wild deer killed illegally known as deer poaching, nor does the total include the growing number of deer killed on our roads. Over the last five years over 250,000 wild deer were culled in Ireland under licence from the NPWS and highlights the important role licensed deer hunters play in managing deer at sustainable levels to minimise negative impacts on farming, forestry, and the wider ecosystem.” “The Irish Deer Commission actively work with landowners who suffer negative impacts from wild deer, we also support the various agencies who deal with an increasing number of deer vehicle collisions on our roads through a network of trained members.”
Why are more deer being culled?
There may be several factors, firstly the number of hunters licensed to cull deer has grown significantly with 6,486 licenses issued in 2023, up 45% in the last 10 years when 4,502 licences were issued to cull deer during the open culling season from September 1st to February 28th, with dedicated periods when male and female deer can be culled. There is no open season for native red deer in County Kerry due to their national conservation importance, deer management is undertaken by local NPWS staff. The average number of deer culled per hunter has remained between 6 to 8 deer annually since records began in 1999, however 2023 has seen a 20% increase in the number deer culled per hunter with the average now at 10 deer culled per hunter during the 2022/23 culling season.
The Irish Deer Commission believe restrictions around the management of deer during the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with a worldwide crash in venison prices, delays by NPWS in the issuing of deer culling permits, poor forestry design for the management of deer, and a rapid expansion afforestation in Ireland, all have created the perfect storm for deer numbers to increase.
Why is it been suggested the new deer culling seasons will cause an increase in deer numbers?
In February 2024, the Minister with responsibility for wild deer, Malcolm Noonan TD announced changes to the culling seasons for deer, extending the female deer season from November 1st to March 31st, and the male culling season from September 1st to April 30th. Previously the culling seasons for male deer was from September 1st to December 31st, and female deer from November 1st to February 28th. The Irish Deer Commission believe the changes to the culling seasons will cause deer numbers to increase, as by extending the male season from a five-month season to a nine-month season, will cause less breeding females to be culled and the population will increase. The Irish Deer Commission says culling more breeding female deer rather than male deer is recognised as best practice deer management to maintain deer at a sustainable and healthy population, as one male can breed with many females.
How many deer were culled in your county? 71% of the national deer cull came from the seven counties of Wicklow, Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Kerry, Galway, and Clare. County Wicklow, an area believed to have an overpopulation of wild deer in some areas was responsible for 29% of the cull, a reduction of 8% of the national cull from the previous year. Poor deer management on state lands and no deer culling rights on some Coillte property are believed to among the reasons behind the high deer numbers in County Wicklow. The data also highlights that Fallow deer are now the dominant deer pecies culled in Ireland, accounting for 46% of the national cull and exceeding the Sika deer cull for the first time.
| County | Number of Deer Culled | County | Number of Deer Culled |
| Longford | 243 | Clare | 3296 |
| Louth | 231 | Cork | 3791 |
| Limerick | 760 | Cavan | 367 |
| Mayo | 2399 | Carlow | 494 |
| Meath | 641 | Donegal | 2704 |
| Monaghan | 477 | Dublin | 1405 |
| Offaly | 2167 | Galway | 5,930 |
| Roscommon | 958 | Kildare | 464 |
| Sligo | 1723 | Kerry | 4528 |
| Tipperary | 8278 | Kilkenny | 713 |
| Waterford | 6668 | Laois | 2680 |
| Wicklow | 25727 | Leitrim | 549 |
| Westmeath | 326 | ||
| Wexford | 527 |
*Data includes out of season culling data for 2023.
Why are there calls for a national deer cull recently?
The population of wild deer in Ireland is unknown, as a population census has never taken place, so calls for culls are often ill informed or from individuals who do not understand how to manage wild deer so they can co-exist with other land uses. The Irish Deer Commission says most people are not aware we already have a national cull of over 78,000 wild deer annually. The management of wild deer has become an increasingly emotive topic with polarised views from those in farming, forestry, rewilding, tourism, photographers, hunting, and conservationists.
Why are there calls to suspend government plans to set up deer management units?
Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue recently announced a tender for €3.4m (excluding VAT) to appoint a programme manager for the establishment of 15 deer management units in areas the department believe have high deer populations. In correspondence with the Minister, the Irish Deer Commission was informed there was no scientific basis or evidence for the proposed deer management units which would include large scale culling of wild deer, including County Kerry where the last remaining herd of native Irish Red deer can be found.
The Irish Deer Commission believe deer management units are being set up because of lobbying by some land use sectors and have the asked the Minister to suspend the tender process pending an investigation into the justification in spending €3.4m (excluding VAT) of taxpayer’s money on a task which is already undertaken free of charge to the state by licensed deer hunters. Furthermore, the Irish Deer Commission said it is crucial decisions involving the culling of wild deer are well founded and evidence based rather than seat of the pants or arbitrary comment because of landowner or political pressure, otherwise areas that may need additional deer culling will see deer numbers increase with negative impacts for farming, forestry, and the wider ecosystem. It is possible the formation of deer management units will disenfranchise thousands of licensed hunters who currently manage deer at sustainable levels and without cost to the state.
The Irish Deer Commission have also written to Minister Malcolm Noonan, the Minister with responsibility for wildlife and our wild deer, regarding his duty of care to wildlife management and the unintended consequences of allowing the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine take the lead on the management of a protected species under the Wildlife Acts, a development that has caused considerable concern among those involved in deer management and conservation.
Ends.
Irish Deer Commission
September 2024