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THE BDS WESSEX BRANCH

Information on the British Deer Society (BDS) Wessex branch including events, news, and contacts.

BRANCH AREA AND COMMITTEE

ChairDorothy Irelandchairwessex@bds.org.uk
SecretaryHugh Goodmanwessex@bds.org.uk
TreasurerKarene Johnson 
Range OfficerDavid S Davies 
Range OfficerTerry Hoskins 

Other committee members

  • David Barrett,
  • David Davies  (Range officer),
  • Stephen Farr,
  • Mark Hatt-Cook,
  • Trevor Hughes,
  • Terry Hoskins, (Range Officer),
  • Roger Ireland,
  • Tony Lowry,
  • Matthew Moore,
PostcodeArea
BA12 – BA15Bath
BHBournemouth
DTDorchester
GU10 – GU12Guildford
GU14Guildford
GU17Guildford
GU21 – GU22Guildford
GU26Guildford
GU30 – GU35Guildford
GU46 – GU47Guildford
GU51 – GU52Guildford
GYGuernsey
JEJersey
POPortsmouth
RGReading
SLSlough
SN8 – SN9Swindon
SOSouthampton
SPSalisbury

EVENTS

Date

Event

8th November 2023

An introduction to Non-leaded hunting Bullets’

30th November 2023

Yarn in a Barn

See below for more details.

NEXT BDS NATIONAL EVENT

No upcoming events, please check back soon.

NEWS

Autumn Update

 We’ve officially wrapped up the Wessex Branch’s show season and what a success it’s been! Particularly the 3-day New Forest Show which brought together town and country. After a lengthy hiatus we returned to Newbury Show, bringing back its agricultural theme of years past. We were HIGHLY COMMENDED throughout the whole show – a great achievement! But the best part? Despite the heavy rain, so many of you from the north part of the branch still showed your support!

We are hoping in the very near future to be going back to East Holme Ranges Dorset, which is under new management, so watch this space.

Save the date! 📅 On November 8th at 7:30 pm, join us at the Lyndhurst Community Centre for a very special event! We will have Richard Sharman discussing ‘An Introduction to Non-leaded Hunting Bullets’, PLUS our 60th Annual Branch Photographic Competition! Don’t miss out on what should be an interesting and unique evening – see you all there!

Fallow Deer New Forest Hampshire by Mark Christopher Cooper

February 14th 2024, will be the Branch AGM,  again at Lyndhurst Community Centre, so please come along and support your committee.

Some time ago I mentioned a work party to re-open the Aldridge Hill enclosure in the New Forest for the red deer, however, after much discussion, it would seem the deer have not used this area for some time. It was decided to put everything into Queens Meadow where the fawns and calves are usually born, with cooperation from the commoners and Forestry England. Fencing needs to be restored in some areas so funding will be needed. It is a shame about Aldridge Hill, but unless the deer are using it, it seems pointless for us to work on it.

As I understand a great number of you have passed the interviews to become a HAD in Hampshire, this is splendid news, it means the numbers should be reaching the number we started back in 2007. The BDS has also funded the yellow lights that are needed for the HADs when out at an accident, however, more funding is needed to make all of this a success. Country Watch attended a number of shows this year in Hampshire taking along new BDS accident awareness leaflets.

Highly Commended: Roe Buck by Stan Kemish

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

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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

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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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