Project Description

Whatever stage people are at, the Deer HUB’s wide range of training options enables deer stalkers, at their own pace, to develop their skills and access the knowledge required to become a deer stalker that’s confident, knowledgeable and skilful. Our training courses are available to all.

Learning fieldcraft, deer behaviour and identification, carcass inspection and gralloching through to carcass preparation and putting venison on the table for you and your family is an exciting journey.

The Deer HUB facilitates industry qualifications which run alongside our own highly developed and accessible training lead by our friendly team of experienced professional deerstalkers. The HUB’s training director monitors the progress of our clients and members and issues award certificates upon completion of a level.

Please Note: We do not expect people to do all our courses/training, if they can demonstrate they have experience of the subject and/or they have attended a similar/equivalent training course from another recognised provider.

The Deer HUB issues the following awards:

Competent Deer Stalker Awards*

Level 1 | Foundation Skills

Level 2 | Intermediate Stalker

Level 3 | Advanced Stalker

*We recommend that people take the Deer Stalkers Certificate 1 (DSC1) sometime between achieving our Level 1 and 2, and the Deer Stalkers Certificate 2 (DSC2) during or after achieving our Level 2. DSC1 courses available in the South by BASC and BDS are listed on the events page on the website. Deer HUB professional stalkers (4 of which are accredited Approved Witnesses (AW’s) for DMQ) are available to assess people for their DSC2 award.

Competent Deer Stalker Award| Level 1 | Foundation Skills | £595

Achievement: to have a basic knowledge of rifle shooting and safety; stalking techniques; basic deer identification; be aware of the law pertaining to deer and firearms ownership.

Training/courses required to complete Level 1:

  • Attendance on our one-day training course and successful completion of the shooting and theory tests at the end of the day.

Click here for full course and booking details

Competent Deer Stalker Award | Level 2 | Intermediate Stalker | £1,995

Achievement: to have good rifle shooting skills and safety; stalk on foot and from a high seat; be able to assess land for safe shooting; be able to stalk unaccompanied; identify basic age, species and despatch five(5) deer (of any species) proficiently; effectively follow up deer; hygienically gralloch deer; check a deer’s age, condition any diseases present; transport deer; larder deer ready to go into the food chain; be able to set up a larder/chiller facility; skin and butcher a deer into primary parts in the field/larder; complete 6 hours of non-shooting observation conducted in the field plus write-up/photo; Pass level 2 test and assessment.

Training/courses usually required to complete Level 2*:

  • Stalking Sessions as required**
  • Intermediate Firearms course
  • High Seat Course
  • Land Appraisal Course
  • Deer Identification Course
  • Field Butchery Training
  • Larder Skinning & Butchery Training

* Stalkers who have already attended any of the courses listed above, will have the cost reimbursed accordingly.

** As Level 2 is awarded according to a deer stalker’s competency, the number of stalk sessions to achieve this are unknown. Standard stalks, in addition to the Level 2 cost, are charged at £295 per session, or for Deer HUB Members that have stalks included in their membership, these may be used.

Click here for full course and booking details

Competent Deer Stalker Award | Level 3 | Advanced Stalker | £2,450

Achievement: to have advanced rifle shooting skills; be able to strip down clean and reassemble a rifle/scope combination; be able to stalk unaccompanied, follow up deer and extract carcasses in challenging environments (highland/hill, forestry and or woodland); be proficient at identifying a deer’s age, species and sex in the field at distance; dispatch four(4) deer species proficiently with minimal carcass damage (Red, Fallow/Sika, Roe and Muntjac/CWD; hygienically and neatly gralloch deer; check a deer’s age, condition and any diseases present; larder deer ready to go into the food chain; be able to skin and butcher a deer proficiently; plan and manage a deer management session/day; be able to write a deer management plan and participate in a deer population census; be able to confidently guide novice stalkers and teach good practice; complete 12 hours of non-shooting observation conducted in the field plus write-up/photos. Pass level 3 test and assessment.

Training/courses usually required to complete Level 3*:

  • Stalking Sessions as required**
  • Advanced Firearms Course
  • Deer Management Course
  • Rifle Maintenance Course
  • Deer Head Course
  • Full Larder and Butchery Course
  • Rifle Maintenance Course

* Stalkers who have already attended any of the courses listed above, will have the cost reimbursed accordingly.

** As Level 3 is awarded according to a deer stalker’s competency, the number of stalk sessions to achieve this are unknown. Standard stalks, in addition to the Level 3 cost, are charged at £295 per session, or for Deer HUB Members that have stalks included in their membership, these may be used.

Call: 0203 995 5881

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Group training/courses, found in our event calendar

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) + Forestry (F) | Duration 1 Day | £120

This is a fully certified Ofqual accredited training course which has been specially adapted for Deer Stalkers and is run by an experienced stalker. Includes certification, 2 training manuals, refreshments and lunch. This course covers the EFAW content as well as training for Crush Injuries, Hypothermia/Exposure, Lyme’s Disease, Catastrophic Bleeding using Tourniquets, Haemostatics and Compression Bandages (including Gun Shot Wounds) and Casualty Evacuation Planning.

Learn about deer anatomy, ageing deer (in the field at distance and on the ground), characteristics, mannerism’s, vocalisations and how to identify/sex all six species of deer in the UK. This training is delivered using Zoom Video conferencing.

This course in conducted in the field. Learn how to map land for safe shooting, boundaries, hazards, assess, extraction points and assess the land for deer species present, signs of deer and their impact on the habitat. Includes land maps, deer impact and risk assessment sheets.

Learn about all aspects of deer management, including Deer cull planning and management, record keeping, deer population census techniques, impact and habitat assessments and more. Day 1 includes participation in a live deer census.

Learn how to stalk the highland/hill environment for Red deer, the UK’s largest native land mammal. Day 1 is training on survival methods, comms, extraction equipment and a session honing your skills spotting, stalking and selecting suitable cull animals. Day two/three is an all-day session stalking, selecting and dispatching cull animals and extracting deer off the hill. Day 2 and/or 3 can be conducted under DSC2 witness conditions.

Book on demand – anytime

Competent Deer Stalker Award/Level 1/Foundation Skills | Duration 1 day | £495

Attend our one day training, specifically designed for beginners and those new to deer stalking. This course teaches rifle safety, marksmanship, shooting positions, stalking techniques, deer identification, deer shooting seasons, stalking equipment and clothing, firearms licensing and the law pertaining to deer and firearms ownership. The first part of the day is spent in the field concentrating on finding your way around a rifle and scope and learning marksmanship techniques for dead accurate shooting. This is followed by a live fire session shooting from stalkers sticks, bench and high seat. We then retire to a local pub for lunch. We stay in the pub for the afternoon, where we go through our extensive manual and take a short test at the end of the day. Course includes refreshments throughout the day, lunch and our Level 1 manual and certificate.  https://buy.stripe.com/fZe2bl1yNd1v9pKcMM         See full course details here

The Deer HUB’s popular ‘Competent Deer Stalker Awards’ offer the opportunity for people to progress their skills and knowledge, at their own pace, with a combination of development courses and practical structured training in the field and larder.    https://buy.stripe.com/3csdU3a5j7Hb1Xi6op       See full course details here

The Deer HUB’s popular ‘Competent Deer Stalker Awards’ offer the opportunity for people to progress their skills and knowledge, at their own pace, with a combination of development courses and practical structured training in the field and larder.

Hone your field-craft skills, follow up on shot deer, aging deer, checking condition, identifying disease (or not), gralloching and carcass extraction. All stalk sessions with the Deer HUB are 3 hours+ and include structured training throughout. Following each session you will be emailed a ‘Stalk Appraisal’ sheet as a record of the stalk. Costs are £295 which includes any management animal(s) shot on the session. Venison charged for in addition at £2.75kg

Learn about deer anatomy, ageing deer (in the field at distance and on the ground), characteristics, mannerism’s, vocalisations and how to identify/sex all six species of deer in the UK. This training is delivered using Zoom Video conferencing.

Learn how to skin, boil and clean a deer head and take measurements yourself on 4 different species to find out how the heads will score for the BASC/CIC award system. From our collection of skulls, you’ll also analysis heads for defects/abnormalities and ageing by teeth inspection. This course is run by our own deer HUB qualified BASC head measurer. Includes lunch and refreshments.

This course in conducted in the field. Learn how to map land for safe shooting, boundaries, hazards, assess, extraction points and assess the land for deer species present, signs of deer and their impact on the habitat. Includes land maps, deer impact and risk assessment sheets.

This training is done in a professional larder facility with tuition from one of our experienced team. Learn how a professional larder and chiller facility is specified and set up, meeting hygiene, food and health + safety requirements and how you can best transport, larder and butcher your own deer at home. Over the day you will butcher a whole carcase (either one you have shot or one from our chiller) into rolled and guard of honour joints, shanks, ribs, choice steaks, mince, dice, sausages and burgers. Includes use of our skinning rig, knives and safety equipment, vacuum packer, containers, labels, burger, mincing and sausage making equipment. Venison used charged at £3.50kg

Use our professional larder/chiller facility with tuition from one of our experienced team. Includes use of our skinning rig, knives and safety equipment, vacuum packer, containers, labels, burger, mincing and sausage making equipment. Simply skin and butcher a carcass into its primary parts or butcher a whole carcase into rolled and guard of honour joints, shanks, ribs, choice steaks, mince, dice, sausages and burgers.

This training is done in the field following a successful stalk and dispatch of a deer. Learn how to suspend, skin and butcher a carcass into its primary parts hygienically and transport home.

Hone your shooting technique, how to quickly and accurately zero a rifle, riflescope setup, shooting freehand and how to adjust for bullet drop and ‘hold over’ shooting up to 200 yards from a bench, prone and using stalkers sticks.

Hone your shooting technique, accurate shot placement, shoot consistent tight groups, allow for wind, shoot head + neck shots, shoot freehand and shoot confidently at extended range (up to 300 yards) from a bench, prone and using stalkers sticks.

Use of our 100 – 300 yard range with an experienced instructor for zeroing, tightening your groups and honing your skills on paper and reactive steel deer targets. We also carry an extensive tool kit and can help you set up a rifle/scope combination from scratch and or adjust your equipment as required.

Learn how to completely strip down a rifle, clean the barrel, lubricate and reassemble the rifle, scope mounts and riflescope. Includes safety checks on components, a session on the range to zero and gun storage.

Learn how to position and erect high seats, health and safety considerations and how to shoot effectively from a seat. This course can be added before or after a stalk session and includes a shooting test.