Name of the Organization : National Parks a&nd Wildlife Service
Type of Facility : Deer Hunting Licence
Country: Ireland
Website : http://www.npws.ie/licences/hunting/tohuntdeer/
Deer Hunting Licences:
Deer Hunting Licence applications are considered, under Section 29(1) of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended).
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Deer are a protected species in Ireland under the terms of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) and it is a serious offence to hunt them without a licence. The wild deer population in Ireland, which consists of red, fallow, sika, muntjac and hybrid deer, is managed by conservation rangers employed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The NPWS is part of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
The number of wild deer hunting licences issued by the NPWS varies from year to year, depending on demand, and the management of the deer population. The open season in Ireland also varies from year to year depending on the location and species of deer. Outside of the open hunting season, landowners can apply for a Section 42 licence to control deer on their lands if damage is being caused.
Application forms are issued to existing licence holders on an annual basis for renewal purposes. Where all the relevant information on the application form is supplied and written evidence of permission to hunt on lands holding deer is also furnished, applications are forwarded to local NPWS management staff for consideration and recommendation. Permissions must be signed and dated by the landowner or the holder of the sporting rights of the land (if different). The landowner from whom permission has been obtained and submitted in support of the application may be required to confirm this permission. The application together with an appropriate recommendation is then returned and the decision is made to grant or refuse the licence by an officer designated by the Minister to issue licences on his/her behalf.
Where, in the opinion of local NPWS management, the granting of multiple applications for licences based on particular lands may impact adversely on local deer populations, deer licence(s) may be refused for conservation reasons. Similarly, the number of licences granted, based on Coillte Lettings on which the number of deer to be shot (or “bag”) is restricted, will have regard to the “bag number”.
The deer hunting licence you are issued with contains the following information:
** Your name and address
** Licence number
** Information about the Wildlife Act 1976 (as amended)
** Signature of the authorised issuing officer
** Your signature.
How to apply:
Complete the Application for a Licence to Hunt Deer (pdf) form which is available from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and can be downloaded from its website. If you do not intend to shoot on your own land, you must also supply written evidence of permission with your application from the landowner allowing you to hunt on his/ her lands that hold deer. You will also have to supply the folio number of the lands. Folio numbers can be obtained from the Land Registry Service of the Property Registration Authority.
Applications are only considered on receipt of a fully completed application form and, if granted, are valid for the hunting season in a particular year. The application form is issued to existing licence holders on an annual basis.
Your application will be examined by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, together with the landowner’s permission. If you were issued with a deer hunting licence in the previous year, details of the deer you shot (bag returns) are sought on the application form for each applicant. Conservation rangers throughout the country employed by National Parks and Wildlife Service ensure that hunters have appropriate deer hunting licences. Rangers also examine new licence applications.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the appropriate deer hunting licence and a firearm of the appropriate calibre. You will be prosecuted for hunting deer with an inappropriate firearm or by any other means.
Further information on applying for a licence is available here.
Where to apply:
National Parks and Wildlife Service
7 Ely Place
Dublin 2
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)1 888 3242
Locall:1890 202 021
Fax:+353 (0)1 888 3272
Email: natureconservation@environ.ie