Advanced Deer Management Course
Nationally recognised · LANTRA accredited · Now available fully online
Having successfully run for over a decade, the nationally recognised and LANTRA accredited Advanced Deer Management Course continues to set the standard for professional deer management training. This highly regarded course is designed for those who want to advance their knowledge and understanding of deer control and management at a professional level, looking not only from the deer stalker’s perspective but also through the lens of estate management.
For the first time ever, the course is available fully online, making it more accessible than ever while retaining the same depth, quality and practical understanding that have made it so respected. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the complex relationships between biodiversity, land use, forestry and deer populations, and learn how these can be managed in balance, without harm to habitats or wildlife.
Who the course is for
This course is ideally suited to:
• People with some experience in deer management or those who work alongside deer management to gain a broader understanding.
• Those seeking a career in professional deer and wildlife management.
• Land agents, estate managers and owners who wish to better understand what deer management is to help reduce agricultural and forestry crop damage, take advantage of Forestry Commission Woodland Grant Schemes (WS1), or increase estate income while safeguarding natural resources.
Course format
• Delivery: Fully online (previously classroom/field delivered content retained and adapted for online delivery)
• Accreditation: LANTRA accredited
• Assessment: Module-based learning with a Final Exam (Module 17).
The course combines critical classroom theory with practical, field-informed knowledge and is structured so that learners can apply modern deer management principles in real-world estate settings.
What you will learn (overview)
Participants will develop skills and knowledge across a broad range of topics essential to modern deer management, including (but not limited to):
• The role of deer within the wider wildlife context and trophic cascades
• Land designations and their implications for management
• Damage identification and impact assessment
• Habitat management and manipulation for control
• Deer management planning (from concept to delivery) and WS1 applications
• Population and meta-population dynamics
• Census techniques and the value of a deer census
• Cull and observation record-keeping, large-scale and intensive culling operations
• On-the-hoof ageing, cull selection and genetic improvement
• Reproductive assessment and deer health surveillance across wild, park and farmed populations
• Venison production
• Shot placement, reaction & effects
Course modules
1. Module 1: Introduction to Deer Management
2. Module 2: Deer Management - The Basics
3. Module 3: Understanding Deer Control & Management
4. Module 4: Management Approaches - Upland & Lowland
5. Module 5: Deer Damage
6. Module 6: Selection Criteria
7. Module 7: Culling Operations
8. Module 8: Shot Placement, Reaction & Effects
9. Module 9: Venison Production
10. Module 10: Impacts of Deer on Woodland Biodiversity
11. Module 11: Sustainable Deer Management Planning
12. Module 12: Population Dynamics
13. Module 13: The Value of a Deer Census
14. Module 14: Deer Impact Assessment
15. Module 15: Deer Health Assessment
16. Module 16: Deer Farming & Park Management
17. Module 17: Final Exam
About the instructor
Mike Allison - Managing Director of Jelen Premier Wildlife Services (Jelen PWS) and one of the UK’s foremost deer management specialists. Mike brings nearly five decades of professional experience across wild, park and farmed deer sectors, delivering conservation-led deer management solutions throughout the UK and Europe.
Mike is an experienced trainer who has guided many trainees into significant industry roles. He developed Europe’s first LANTRA Approved course in Live Capture, Immobilisation and Live Animal Care and has an extensive record of delivering practical, field-based training to build confidence and professional competence.
