They say suspending commercial hunting due to the coronavirus pandemic will hit sporting estates hard and could cut the amount of Scottish venison heading for dinner tables.

The lack of culling could also spark an expansion in wild deer populations, potentially causing damage to the environment.

The findings come from a study by the Association of Deer Management Groups (ADMG), Lowland Deer Network Scotland and the Scottish Venison Association.

Scottish sporting estates face estimated losses of around £9 million if deer stalking is completely cancelled this season due to coronavirus restrictions

The research was undertaken to establish the impact of Covid-19 travel restrictions and social distancing rules on businesses offering stalking and how cull plans and the amount of venison going into the food system would be affected.

The figures are based on responses from 103 Scottish stalking businesses, representing almost a third of the sector.

It concluded that in excess of £2.5 million of income would be lost if no stalking was to take place, while nearly two thirds would adjust the numbers of deer killed if game dealer arrangements were altered.

Only one in four respondents said that their cull would be unaffected by both loss of let stalking and by changes to venison market arrangements.

However, 14 out of the 103 businesses polled said they would consider leaving carcasses on the hill if collection services were severely disrupted.

“This survey gives us some very valuable insight into the potential impact on deer management businesses if there were to be no let stalking in the coming season due to the fallout from Covid-19,” said Richard Cooke, chairman of the ADMG.

“This is of course the worst-case scenario - full cancellation - and hopefully the impact will be less if the Scottish Government roadmap out of lockdown proceeds as hoped.

“However, there will undoubtedly be some effect due to cancelled bookings and the difficulties of organising Covid-safe stalking with guests.

“Whatever the degree, we must expect disruption and significant economic damage - including potential job losses, both part time and seasonal - as survey respondents have flagged up.

“We must also recognise the loss to the wider rural economy from the income that this type of sporting tourism generates.

“As for venison, the processors have lost all their restaurant, food service and catering customers and may be sitting on unsold stock from last season.

“While these markets should recover, it would be unrealistic to expect that in the short term and they are therefore facing a situation of reduced demand and extra cost due to the need to incorporate social-distancing within their processing operations.

“The effect on price remains to be seen.”

He said the ADMG is advising estates to carry out planned culls in full to avoid future problems with deer numbers but says a high degree of cooperation with processors will be necessary to ensure the venison supply chain can remain tenable through the coming months.

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Scottish businesses face £9m loss if deer stalking cancelled due to Covid-19

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