BDS launches online course to train more deer managers

The British Deer Society (BDS) has made the learning aspect of its entry-level deerstalking qualification fully online. 

To substantially increase the number of individuals who are trained each year, the BDS has now blended the Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 (DSC1) qualification to combine the flexibility of online learning with the rigour of in-person assessment. 

Participants will now complete the learning component of the DSC1 on the BDS’s dedicated training platform, which will include video presentations, digitised resources and interactive quizzes. This will be followed by an in-person assessment day at one of the assessment centres in Royston, Bristol and Altyre. 

Nick Rout, head of training and education at the BDS, said: “We have worked hard to develop a course that meets the demands of modern learners without sacrificing the high standards we’ve always maintained. 

“The in-person assessment day with support from the training team ensures that our welfare and competency standards, which are key to deer management, remain intact. Our new course format will help to reduce the financial and logistical barriers to entry that many individuals face when pursuing professional qualifications in deer management.”