General Details

You must complete this Deer Management Plan (DMP) if you are applying for the Sustainable Management of Forests (SMF) – Low Impact Silvicultural Systems (LISS) or Native Woodlandoptions.

When complete, save this document to your computer and then upload it to your online application.

FGS Scheme Details
BRN:
Application name:
DMP Author: / Application Area (ha):
Date (dd/mm/yyyy): / Main Grid Reference (e.g. NH 234 567):
Woodland type:
Deer species present:
Long Term Forest Plan / Management Plan number:
Please tell us the proposed work. Include a description of the current deer control methods, clarify what sensitive areas and habitats are vulnerable and briefly describe what needs to be carried out during the five year duration of the DMP. Please be specific so that FC Scotland will be able to assess to what extent these plans have been achieved.
Please tell us any relevant information to support the area applied for. Please attach map(s) which clearly delineate the application area to be included as eligible woodland an appropriate relevant open ground. Identify adjacent land uses which may impact on the DMP, any internal different ownership boundaries, location of vulnerable crops, intended monitoring areas and any relevant operations (high seats, access etc.).
Deer Management Plan Objectives
Please list your objectives and include a statement of the intended outcomes and any deer management policies.
Cull Targets
Reduction Culls– this is where additional effort is required from applicants in the initial years to reduce the population levels as soon as practicable.
Year / Male / Female / Juveniles / Totals
Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow / Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow / Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow
Comments / Additional Information
Management Culls– this is the ongoing and sustainable culling that could be achieved on an annual basis.
Year / Male / Female / Juveniles / Totals
Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow / Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow / Red / Roe / Sika / Fallow
Comments / Additional Information
Nominated Controllers

Notify FCS if any changes occur.

Nominated controller / Owner / Estate Employee* / Contract Stalker / Shooting Tenant / Place of Residence / Firearms Certificate Number
1
2
3
4

*Section 26(i) of the deer act clarifies definition of “employee”.

Controller’s relevant experience and calibre of rifles authorised
1
2
3
4
Monitoring and Record Keeping
Outline how you will be keeping records. This must be as per Best Practice Guidance and must include date killed, species sex, estimated age, body weight, and female reproductive status. Cull records must be submitted annually to FCS to enable grant payment.
Describe the method(s) you will use to assess deer damage within your woodland. It is important that sample plot information, browsing levels, and factual evidence of deer damage is monitored prior to the commencement of the plan (as a baseline) and then annually to ensure there is a formal record of what is taking place and that culling is effective.
You must identify and agree with FCS what method of monitoring will be used. This should be based on the Best Practice Guidance which defines suitable options. Monitoring must be done annually and submitted with a supporting mapto FCS to enable grant payment.
Give a brief description of the method you will use to evaluate and review the progress of your Deer Management Plan.
Supporting Information

Provide information relating to known deer densities. This should be derived from dung counts, however if you are submitting habitat impact assessments in support of your ongoing deer control then this information may be glean from helicopter counts or other information such as the deer density indicators below. Ideally we need to know the population densities both on the open hill and within the woodlands.

Present / Density in woodland per 100ha / Density on open hill per 100ha / Source of count / Dung count info / Year of count
DCS / Estate
Red
Roe
Sika
Fallow
Comments / Additional Information:

Woodland Deer Density Indicators

Evidence / 4 – 8
Low density / 8 – 15
Medium density / 15+
High density
Tracks / Difficult to find deer slot marks or defined paths. / Defined paths slot marks easy to find in areas of soft ground. / Many well defined tracks and paths often black with constant use.
Dung / Difficult to find with just the odd isolated pellet group. / Pellet groups relatively easy to find, particularly on woodland edges and good feeding areas. / Pellet groups very easy to find. Highly concentrated on favoured feed areas.
Browsing of Vegetation / Natural regeneration of broad-leaved trees taking place with no or little damage to current year’s incremental growth. / Broadleaved saplings present but showing significant damage. / No seedlings growing above dominant vegetation height. Often well-defined browse lines on established shrubs and plants.

Please provide details of any previous cull data.

Year / Stags / Bucks / Hinds / Does / Calves / Kids / Totals

Provide details on the habitats types as listed.

Habitat / Area / Vulnerable to deer pressure? / Comments
SAC / SPA
SSSI (geology, flora, fauna)
Vulnerable Crop
Open Hill Ground
Internal Open Ground
Native Woodland
Broadleaves
Conifers
Other

Provide details on integrated or adjacent land use.

Existing Woodland
Mixture of Woodland / Arable Land
Unimproved Pasture / Open Hill
Other (Specify):
Public Access / Recreation Facilities
Deer Road Traffic Issues
Public Safety Issues

Indicate if these factors might influence deer use in your woodland and provide details. This is mainly relevant for Red Deer ranges. This information will help inform of likely fluctuations in populations as well as the variable need of control resources at different time of the year. This information should be considered early on in the planning process to ascertain the most appropriate scale for deer reduction delivery.

Is the site part of a red deer wintering area?
Immigration/emigration knowledge
Give evidence of historical / existing damage. Include information on damage to the woodland and habitats and also damage to natural heritage interests. State the method of assessment used (e.g. transects, fixed plots, fixed point photography).
If deer fencing is proposed (through the WIG – Habitats and Species, or non-grant aided) explain what measures will be taken if required to compensate for the loss of deer range to ensure its effectiveness. Also highlight whether a risk assessment has been carried out to mitigate against bird strikes.
Information Checklist

Please list the maps that you have included with your DMP, and any other supporting information:

We suggest that you use the following format for saving all of your related documents so that they are easily identifiable, for example:

[Your Application name] DMP Map [name or number].jpeg

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DMPNW&LISS v1.0 March 2015