Thousands of Kerry deer culled during 12-month period

The Kerry figure is part of the 78,175 wild deer culled nationally for the same 12-month period. The total figure is a national record for a cull, up 41 percent from the previous record set in 2022 when 55,008 deer were culled in Ireland.

Deer management is undertaken by local NPWS staff. However, there is no open season for native red deer in Kerry due to the national conservation importance of the species.

Seven counties accounted for 71 percent of the deer culled: Kerry, Cork, Wicklow, Waterford, Tipperary, Galway, and Clare.

Damien Hannigan of the Irish Deer Commission believes the number of deer killed is likely to be significantly higher as the NPWS total does not include wild deer killed illegally or the rising numbers killed on roads.

He said in the last five years, 250,000 wild deer were culled in Ireland under licence from the NPWS, highlighting the important role licensed deer hunters play in managing deer numbers.

"This minimises negative impacts on farming, forestry, and the wider ecosystem. The Irish Deer Commission (IDC) actively work with landowners who suffer negative impacts from wild deer, we also support the various agencies who deal with an increasing number of deer vehicle collisions on our roads through a network of trained members," Mr Hannigan said.

A government decision to extend the female deer season for culling from November 1 to March 31, and the male culling season from September 1 to April 30, is being disputed by the IDC.

It believes such changes will cause deer numbers to increase, thereby extending the male season from a five-month season to a nine-month season that would result in less breeding females to be culled and the population increasing.

The IDC also say culling more breeding female deer, rather than male deer, is recognised as best practice deer management to maintain a sustainable and healthy population as one male can breed with many females.