Deer Management
Red deer (cervus elaphus) are native to Assynt, the species having migrated to the British Isles from Europe about 11,000 years ago. They are the largest land mammal in the British Isles. Before our purchase of the Glencanisp and Drumrunie Estates in 2005, the estates were run along traditional Scottish Highland sporting estates lines, where the deer herd was managed to produce the best trophy antler stags for the landowner and his guests to shoot.
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In the autumn, the hills echo with the calls of the stags assembling and keeping a group of hinds to mate with. This is one of the great glories of the Scottish Highlands.
Deer stalking for stags (males) and hinds (females) is no longer available on the Estates, as the deer are now managed solely with the conservation of the whole estates in mind by our retained deer manager and his staff. They are all fully qualified to do this.
By Scottish law, red deer stalking must be with a high-powered rifle and during the appropriate hunting season - 21st October to 15th February for hinds. There is no longer a closed season for stags.
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All the venison from the deer shot on our land goes into the human food chain. so the hunting is done using non-lead bullets.