Game And Wildlife Students Visited By Deer Experts

The excellent industry links of our Game and Wildlife department once again benefited our students, with the second year Level 3 learners visited by Tony Lowry of UK Deer Track and Recovery (UKDTR) and Jamie Cordery from The Deer Initiative. The students were treated to a fantastic presentation and practical demonstration on ‘best practice’ and the use of dogs to track wounded deer.

UKDTR are a voluntary organisation who provide a free service to help find and recover injured or lost deer. Their presentation involved showing the students the history of deer tracking in the UK and in Europe; suitable dog breeds for tracking; deer welfare; and how you follow wounded deer and the health and safety implications associated with it. A high percentage of the students will go on to employment which involves deer management so it is imperative they are aware of organisation such as UKDTR so they know who to call on if a situation ever arises.

The practical demonstration was done out on the grassy area outside the ICT building; how to select a suitable puppy, the equipment needed and the process of laying a trail for a dog to follow during training were all discussed.