THE BDS SOUTH EAST ENGLAND BRANCH
Information on the British Deer Society (BDS) South East England branch including events, news, and contacts.
BRANCH Area AND COMMITTEE

BRANCH CONTACTS
Chair | Derek Stimpson | d.stimpson@bdsbranches.org.uk 07720 813989 |
Vice-Chair | Sean Woodger | |
Treasurer | David Jennings | |
Secretary | Neil Macfarlane | n.macfarlane@bdsbranches.org.uk 07970 666169 |
BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Additional committee members
Adrian Dagger
Tim Cooper
Daniel Francis
Aleksejs Vankovs
Joe Dale
BRANCH AREAS
Postcode | Area |
BN | Brighton |
BR | Bromley |
CR | Croydon |
CT | Canterbury |
DA | Dartford |
GU1 – GU9 | Guildford |
GU13 | Guildford |
GU15 – GU16 | Guildford |
GU18 – GU20 | Guildford |
GU23 – GU25 | Guildford |
GU27 – GU29 | Guildford |
GU36 – GU45 | Guildford |
GU48 – GU50 | Guildford |
GU53 and above | Guildford |
HA | Harrow |
KT | Kingston upon Thames |
ME | Medway |
NW | London |
RH | Redhill |
SE | London |
SM | Sutton |
SW | London |
TN | Tonbridge |
TW | Twickenham |
UB | Uxbridge |
W | London |
WC | London |
WD | Watford |
EVENTS
Please note that branch events may not be going ahead due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Date
EVENT
24th Mar 7:30PM
WEBINAR: Meet the Sponsor Blaser Special (Online)
9th May
Stalkers' Shoot to be held at Bisley
Next Event
WEBINAR: Meet the Sponsor Blaser Special
24/03/2021 7:30 PM
Opportunity to meet one of our sponsors' Blaser and find out more about them and how they will be supporting the British Deer Society. The Panel To be confirmed Ask a Question If you would like to ask a question in advance please email info@bds.org.uk
NEWS
As members will be aware shooting is suspended at present so our usual shoots at Bisley cannot currently take place. We will keep you advised. Equally, our show program cannot be planned.
Branch AGM
The SE E Branch AGM took place by Zoom video on Saturday, February 6th.
Chair’s and Treasurer’s reports were presented and the existing officers and committee re-elected minus one who stood down due to work commitment.
2021 Officers and committee:-
Chair | Derek Stimpson |
Vice-Chair | Sean Woodger |
Secretary | Neil Macfarlane |
Treasurer | David Jennings |
Committee
Adrian Dagger, Tim Cooper, Daniel Francis, Aleksejs Vankovs and Joe Dale.
We await news as to whether future shooting events or shows will be able to take place and will keep members informed.
Events
The news this quarter is necessarily rather short and lacking in dates and events. We do hope that everyone is well and looking forward to being able to do more soon.
Regrettably, the Ardingly show, the last of the season, suffered from the dreadful weather that weekend and we were not able to attend. Hopefully, next year’s show season will prove different!

Deer observations
The season has been a strange one. Ruts seem to have been varied in the south east. The roe rut in July and August was evident but not as strong as usual in the areas I normally see.
The same was true of the fallow rut in October. There were signs of rutting, scrapes and stands but not a great deal of activity in terms of calling, fighting or otherwise. In late November there were still bucks reported as calling on colder nights in parts of Kent.
We have large numbers of fallow and crop damage reported. However, culling remains problematic with game dealers’ chillers and freezers full. The price of venison is also low.
Meat going to charities and homeless support organisations remains one solution.
Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest deer numbers remain high although culling continues. Deer vehicle collisions also remain high. Driven by the need to get outside, the number of walkers in the forest is noticeably high, making the culling difficult. It is also evident that many families are out with new puppies.
Royal Parks
Richmond and the other Royal Parks have remained open as a valuable breathing and exercise space for Londoners, including during Covid and lockdown, despite the additional workload imposed upon the staff.
In terms of numbers, Richmond and Bushy Parks have never been busier. Many first time visitors were unaware of how to behave around the deer which have at times been completely encircled and with many new inexperienced dogs and their owners giving rise to an upsurge in deer being chased.
The deer carried on with inevitable stoicism as usual, the recent rut being the last notable event. Having said that, the rut in Richmond was, as elsewhere, not as noticeable or dramatic as usual, in part due to the continued disturbance.
An extremely good year for acorns means that the herds are in good shape for the winter months.
STAY IN TOUCH
If your contact information has changed please make sure to let us know. To update your details simply email membership@bds.org.uk or call 01425 655434.
LATEST NEWS

Changes to DSC1 and DSC2
Information has recently been shared relating to changes to DSC1 and DSC2 made by Deer Management Qualifications (DMQ).. These changes come into effect on April the 1st.

Relaxation of Covid-19 Restrictions
Due to the planned relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, the BDS will from March the 8th be resuming delivery of DSC1 and Deer Management Courses. Find out more.

New Video – How to Complete a Habitat Impact Assessment
The Farm Advisory Service has produced a great new video detailing How to Complete a Habitat Impact Assessment.
In the video Conservation Consultant, Helen Bibby, and Professor Rory Putman, Chair of the British Deer Society & visiting Professor at the University of Glasgow, take you through all the key steps on how to undertake a Habitat Impact Assessment.

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