Inspiring Confidence

Wild Deer Best
Practice

Welcome to Best Practice Guidance

on the Management of Wild Deer in Scotland. The guides are developed within Scotland’s deer sector to provide you with the best information available on wild deer management.

Wild Deer Guides

Feral Pigs Guides

Following Best Practice

Best Practice aims to provide guidance on relevant legislation and on how best to reinforce the three central aims of public safety, food safety and deer welfare. The guides seek to support, reassure and educate by setting out where possible general principles rather than tight prescription. In this way the Steering Group recognises that there is often more than one way of doing something and welcomes discussion of alternative approaches that add value to the way that the deer sector can enhance public safety, food safety and deer welfare.

At the heart of the guides is the need for clarity on the law; along with three central aims: safeguarding public safety; ensuring food safety; and taking full account of deer welfare. Public confidence in these three issues is essential if wild deer management in Scotland is to maintain the understanding and respect of a wider audience at home and abroad.

In the development of the concept the Steering Group recognised that there will always be situations, when for whatever reasons, things do not go according to plan. Following Best Practice is about understanding what the benchmark is for an activity, aiming to deliver at least to that level and aspiring to go further.

Newest Guidance Released

Use of Night Vision and Thermal Imaging

In response to the November 2023 changes in Secondary Legislation the partners of Wild Deer Best Practice have written and published new guidance on the use of thermal imaging, night vision and digital sights and their use (under authorisation) as well as updating existing best practice guidance relating to minimum bullet weights.

Latest Guidance Updates

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Muntjac

23 April 2025 View Update
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Sika Deer

23 April 2025 View Update

Wild Deer Guides Categories

Discover our comprehensive range of Wild Deer Guides. To find the guide you need, simply browse through the relevant category or use the search bar for quick access.

Deer Ecology & Behaviour

Culling

Crop & Habitat Protection

Carcass Preparation

Habitat Impact Assessment

Deer Health & Welfare

Firearms

People & Resources

Planning