Data released by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS ) to the Irish Deer Commission shows 78,175 wild deer were culled nationally in the 12-month period up to February last year, compared to 55,008 in 2022.
Almost one third of all deer kills occurred in County Wicklow, with 25,727 recorded. Only Tipperary (8,278 ), and Waterford (6,668 ) recorded more deer killed than in Co Galway (5,930 ) last year. Just over 70 per cent of all deer culled were killed in seven counties across the state, with poor herd management and no culling licences issued on several Coillte properties thought to account for the localised concentrations.
Over the past five years, more than 250,000 deer have been culled by licence, but with illegal poaching, the true number is expected to be higher.
A pause in hunting during the Covid 19 pandemic, and a global crash in demand for venison is thought to be behind the staggering increase in figures.
In February 2024, the Minister with responsibility for wild deer, Malcolm Noonan TD announced changes to the winter culling seasons for deer, extending the female deer season by one month to the end of March, for males by four months to April. 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.
In response, the Association of Hunt Saboteurs say “Words like ‘regulated culling’ or ‘deer management’ are used as scientific emollients to disguise the fact that this deer killing is scientifically deficient, contributes nothing to deer population knowledge, and disrupts the animals and its environment balance.
“These camo conservationists really believe that killing thousands of deer is a positive action for deer welfare,” said campaigns director John Tierney in a statement.
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.
