What is PAW NI? Reporting a wildlife crime The Partnership for Action Against Any information about wildlife crime Wildlife Crime NI (PAW NI) brings should be passed immediately to the together statutory agencies, non-statutory PSNI* Tel: 101. agencies and interested parties with the common goal of combating wildlife Describe your call as a Wildlife Crime report crime through publicity, education and campaigning. PAW NI partners include key  Location and time government Departments, PSNI  Description of the person(s) involved. and other enforcement agencies,  Vehicle registration number(s), make and environmental organisations, animal colour if possible. welfare groups and country sports  Use of firearms, dogs etc.  Give details of the (potential) crime  Ask for an incident reference number  Retain incident number and date

*Information can also be given anonymously via Crimestoppers

DEER POACHING

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www.wildlifecrimeni.org Legal deer management It is also an offence to enter land without the As deer have no natural predators in Northern consent of the owner or occupier or other lawful Ireland, selective deer culling is necessary to: authority in search or pursuit with the intention to  Control herd numbers kill, injure or take any deer. Deer hunting at night  Promote deer welfare is illegal.  Reduce environmental damage  Reduce deer related road traffic collisions How to spot deer poaching It may be difficult to tell whether those seen Culling should always be carried out by shooting deer are doing so legally. The majority trained deer stalkers who are authorised to of cases deer culling in daylight and outside the cull with deer welfare, public safety and closed seasons is being carried out by competent food hygiene as their main priorities. They may not take due care when taking a shot and hunters acting within the law. are more likely to wound the animal rather than ob- taining a humane kill. If a deer is injured it could What is deer poaching? Poaching should be immediately suspected if bleed or starve to death causing unnecessary suf- Deer poaching is the illegal or unauthorised a full or partial carcass, deer heads, legs or fering. If a female is shot which has dependent hunting of deer. It is carried out in a variety of grallochs (stomach and intestines) are young then the young deer may also starve to ways including shooting at night under spotlight discovered. death. (lamping) and illegal hunting with dogs. The NEVER approach suspects yourself. If you are methods used by poachers to hunt deer are Public safety aware of anyone who is involved in poaching cruel and inhumane. Lamping and the use of Poor firearms safety increases the risk to the public. or who is buying illegally taken deer please night vision equipment is considered to be the Poachers are also unlikely to follow good carcass notify your local police on 101 or call most common method of poaching deer in handling and hygiene practices or conduct an Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Northern Ireland. examination of the carcass for notifiable diseases

(eg TB). If this venison enters the food chain public Why does it matter? health could be put at risk. As this constitutes an Poaching of deer is usually carried out for illegal and potentially unsafe supply of food, any financial gain. Selling of venison (deer meat) information about the sale of poached venison without due concern for public health or animal should be reported to ‘Food Crime Confidential’ on welfare. 020 7276 8787.

Today’s poacher is likely to be involved not What does the law say? only in wildlife crime but other forms of crime Wild deer are protected under the Wildlife (Northern as well. Ireland) Order 1985 (as amended). Deer have a closed season (females 1st April ‒ 31st October Animal welfare and males 1st May ‒ 31st July) and it is illegal to Deer poachers are unlikely to have any training take deer during this period unless by special or experience of deer hunting. Poachers may authority or under licence issued by the Northern use inappropriate firearms or ammunition po- Ireland Environment Agency. tentially increasing the risk of injury to deer.