Crofters and tenants call for new deer culling rights

Crofters and tenant farmers across Scotland are calling for changes to the Natural Environment Bill to allow deer culling on all land types, including moorland, as the first stage of the reform process nears completion.

The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF), Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA) and several other farming organisations have jointly written to members of the Scottish Parliament.

They are urging an amendment to Part 4 of the bill, specifically Section 26 of the Deer (Scotland) 1996 Act, to extend the legal right for land occupiers to cull deer on any land to prevent damage.

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Under present legislation, crofters and tenants can only take deer on improved land, but deer often move across moorland and common grazing, damaging fences, woodland and agricultural areas, and competing with livestock for feed.

The proposed amendment would bring legislation in line with recommendations from the Deer Working Group.

The group advised that all occupiers should have statutory rights to control deer for public, environmental and economic interests.

SCF chief executive Donna Smith said: “It would be enormously helpful if the right to kill deer was extended to moorland areas of common grazings.

“Deer can cause damage to crofting interests including woodland, agricultural production or by competing with livestock for supplementary feeding.

“Further, deer are an important host for the breeding life cycle of ticks, many of which carry a range of diseases that can infect humans and farm animals.”

STFA chairman Christopher Nicholson added:

“With numbers in Scotland doubling since 1990, deer have become a major threat to the viability of many tenanted holdings… hill farming tenants have no rights to take deer nor claim compensation for deer damage on unimproved land.”

The amendment is backed by SCF, STFA and other groups, including the Landworkers’ Alliance, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Nourish Scotland, Pasture for Life, Propagate Scotland and the Soil Association.