​Deer culls depend on “estate resources”

​The Gazette asked for an update in light of further reports of road accidents, near misses and damage to crops and gardens. In January, we reported that numbers on Lewis and Harris were double what had previously been admitted to and Nature Scot promised an increased cull.

The quango said this week “During late July 2023 we will start to request annual cull information which will provide a more complete picture. Requesting annual cull returns is the main source of evidence for what deer have been culled”.

Asked if the Lewis and Harris Deer Management Group is a functioning body and if meetings have been held, NatureScot replied: “The LHDMG is functioning and it met in spring 2023. Not all of the land holdings are members, but those who have left the group are still carrying out deer management and planning to deliver increased culls to bring the herd down to a more sustainable level.”

The landowners’ website has been inactive for four years and NatureScot undertook in January to pursue this without effect. Nature Scot said: “We have encouraged the group to update the website and will continue to do so. While the website is not active, there has been ongoing discussions and practical deer management carried out across the Lewis and Harris area”.

Asked about compensation available to crofters and victims of road accidents due to failures of deer management by private landowners, NatureScot said: “As deer are classed as res nullius (belonging to no-one) there is no compensation from NatureScot, or in most cases from a private estate, for damage from deer”.

They added: “We are working with the LHDMG and individual estates, to help them set deer cull targets that deliver the wide range of both public and private objectives. However, this will take time to reduce the deer herds down to a more sustainable level, depending on the resources available to individual estates.