Angry Mayo farmers facing ruin due to marauding herds

by Tom Gillespie

Frustrated Mayo farmers are facing ruin from marauding herds of wild deer damaging fencing, crops and other property.

Now a plea has been made for the issuing of night-lamping culling licences to deal with the problem.

It comes from a leading Mayo exporter of venison.

James Ruane of J&J Game Dealing, based near Ballyvary, has a countrywide team of local licensed hunters trained in culling the rogue deer.

And he believes the only way of controlling the growing numbers of does and stags is to do so after dark.

James stated: "Night licences should be issued to areas where it is heavily populated with deer.

"But they must be only issued to competent shooters who have experience behind them and hold all the relevant qualifications.”

The deer hot spots in Mayo, he said, are Crossmolina, Bellacorrick, Belmullet and Ballycroy.

James continued: “Spending millions on the Deer Management Strategy Group is not going to work without having night culling licences.

"The herds don’t come out until after dark and they are gone in at first light.

"There are very few areas where deer are a big problem. It is quite easily to sort the problems. The shooting season should go back from nine to a six month period."

J&J Game Dealing at Grallagh, Ballyvary, export weekly vetted consignments of deer to the UK for processing as venison, which is then sold on throughout Europe.

Licensed hunters nationwide supply James with the animals.

And he admitted J&J Game Dealing can handle any amount of the species be they reds, fallow, sika, or hybrids.