THE BDS NORTH EAST BRANCH
Information on the British Deer Society (BDS) North East England branch including events, news, and contacts.
BRANCH AREA AND COMMITTEE
BRANCH CONTACTS
| Chair | David Stewart OBE | chairnortheastengland@bds.org.uk |
| Secretary | Neil Baker | northeastengland@bds.org.uk |
| Treasurer | Andrew Collinson | |
| RCO | Jonathan Spencer | |
| Muntjac coordinator | Ian Smales |
BRANCH COMMITTEE MEMBERS
David Stewart – Chairman
Andrew Collinson – Treasurer
Neil Baker – Secretary
David Adams
David Boyson
Jeremy Feggetter
Stephen Hyde Alistair Myers
Ian Smales
Jonathan Spencer
BRANCH AREAS
| Postcode | Area |
| DH | Durham |
| DL | Darlington |
| NE | Newcastle-upon-Tyne |
| SR | Sunderland |
| TS | Cleveland |
EVENTS
Date
EVENT
Saturday 15th april 2023
Precision rifle series meeting - whalton
Saturday 29th April 2023
Sandyford Deer Larder
Saturday 14th May 2023
BDS AGM
Saturday 27th may 2023
Northumberland show
June 2023 - Date tbc
range day at dinnington
SATURDAY 15th July 2023
Members gathering at Whalton village hall
SATURDAY 2nd and sunday 3rd september 2023
Wolsingham show
SATURDAY 14th october 2023
MEMBERS GATHERING AT WHALTON VILLAGE HALL
Next BDS National Event
No upcoming events, please check back soon.
NEWS
Spring Newsletter
Welcome to our Spring newsletter. As I write this it is the 3rd April, and I am currently in London. No deer to be seen in Greenwich Royal Park, but I hope that those of you out after Roe bucks have had some success and we look forward to seeing your efforts presented at the AGM for the applicable trophies.
Later this month, actually less than 2 weeks from now, we have our first branch members get together this season at Whalton Village Hall, Saturday 15th April at 3pm. I will be giving a very informal and relaxed presentation on Precision Rifle Series type shooting and the transferable nature of this type of shooting to deer stalking.
We also have another visit to Sandyford Deer Larder on the afternoon of Saturday 29th April. Please contact our Branch Secretary, Neil (email address below), to express your interest. Places are very strictly limited, so book early if you are interested in learning how to deal with a deer carcass once it has been harvested.
Sunday 14th May sees the BDS AGM which will be conducted via Zoom.
We have a stall booked for the Northumberland Show on Saturday 27th May. Please do come along and show your support if you are attending the show. We will be in the Game tent.
For June, we are looking into booking the pipe range at Dinnington (close to Newcastle International Airport). I know that there was not a lot of interest generated by the email that was sent out recently, It was a last minute opportunity that the committee felt should be passed on to you, our members. If there is sufficient interest, we will organise another day and then give sufficient notice. Again, please express your interest to Neil the Secretary. The pipe range is an ideal location to zero your rifle or test new loads in a windless environment.
We are mindful that June and July is a time that many of you will be on holiday, so we have very limited plans for the summer holiday period. What we do have planned on Saturday 15th July, is another members get together at Whalton Village Hall with the topic to be decided in time for the summer newsletter.
The July summer newsletter will hopefully have more details of events as we progress into the autumn and winter seasons. Of note, however, is Wolsingham Show Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd September where we will have a stall; and then the third members Whalton gathering on Saturday 14th October.
If any members have any ideas or suggestions for events and/or topics for presentations and discussions, please contact the secretary at the email address below and we will do our very best to organise something.
This is YOUR branch. You decide the direction the branch takes, so please come along to events, tell us what YOU want, and we will do our utmost to give you the branch you want.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the 15th July.
Kind Regards,
David Stewart
Chairman, North East England Branch.
Bookings to:
Neil Baker, Secretary
northeastengland@bds.org.uk
STALKER MENTORING
Members report that our stalker mentoring scheme is excellent – if you want to join in let me know. And we have three corporate members in the branch, Bill Bryson Library, North Pennines Training and Sandyford Venison, please support them if you can!
Muntjac Monitoring Group
The muntjac monitoring group is now established and operating within the constraints of Covid. The group’s purpose is to monitor the progress of the species through the branch area by investigating and validating reports of sightings of muntjac deer in the branch area.
The group is led by Ian Smales, supported by branch members Stuart Jones, Neil Baker and David Stewart. The group has had to defer its training programme hosted by local Natural England staff until Covid allows.
Despite this, the group has been actively following up reports of muntjac being seen in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham. So far none of the sightings have been proven to be correct.
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
Surveillance for Coronaviruses in Wildlife
The British Deer Society is asking its members and supporters to assist with a surveillance study looking into coronaviruses in wildlife. This study aims to support the development of diagnostic tests, aid future surveillance, and improve preparedness for future coronavirus outbreaks.
BDS CEO Goes Live On TalkTV To Promote Fact-led Deer Management
David Mcauley, British Deer Society (BDS) CEO went live on TalkTV and Radio at the weekend to promote the importance of having more fact-led approaches in deer management, less sensationalism in the media around total UK deer numbers and to speak up for deer welfare.
Deer Management in the UK: Sustainability Verses Eradication
Recently, we received a heartfelt letter from a dedicated member of the British Deer Society (BDS), a seasoned deer stalker with 30 years of experience who was dismayed by the indiscriminate and unsustainable shooting of roe deer around his management areas. His words shed light on the evolving challenges faced by conscientious deer managers who prioritise legal and humane practices in an environment where not all shooters share the same values.
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