Sustainable Venison and Responsible Deer Management
Choosing Roe Deer meat means more than just enjoying a nutritious, delicious meal. It’s a decision that supports sustainable practices, champions animal welfare, and helps protect the environment. With every bite, you’re making a positive impact on your health, wildlife conservation, and the planet’s future.
Sustainability
Roe Deer are not farmed but live freely in their natural habitats. This means they contribute to the local ecosystem, maintaining a balance with the vegetation and other wildlife. Their population is managed to prevent overpopulation.
Ethical
The deer live a natural life with freedom to roam and graze. They are not subjected to the stress of farming practices such as confinement, artificial feeding, or forced breeding. The hunting of Roe Deer is regulated to ensure it’s done humanely and responsibly.
By choosing Roe Deer meat, you’re not only opting for a nutritious and delicious food source, but also supporting practices that respect animal welfare and the environment. It’s a choice that benefits you, the wildlife, and our planet.
Roe Deer conservation faces several specific challenges:
Absence of Natural Predators: In the UK, adult Roe Deer have no natural predators. This can lead to extremely high deer densities, with total deer numbers in the UK thought to be at a 1,000-year high
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation : Human development and land-use changes can limit the availability of suitable habitats for Roe Deer to live and breed
Population Growth: Uncontrolled population growth can lead to issues. For example, a population of one hundred Roe Deer can grow to as many as one thousand in just ten years
Damage to Agriculture and Forestry: Roe Deer are considered a pest in some areas because of the damage they can cause to agriculture and forestry
These challenges highlight the importance of effective management strategies in ensuring the sustainability of Roe Deer populations.
A bit about our Deer Management Qualification
In the scenic landscapes of Northumberland, we source Roe Deer from our own Hetton Estate and also from the local surrounding Northumberland Estates. These estates are home to thriving populations of Roe Deer, living freely and naturally. We are committed to ethical and sustainable sourcing practices. To ensure this, we collaborate exclusively with individuals who are fully trained and hold recognised deer management qualifications. These professionals are adept at maintaining the delicate balance of the ecosystem, managing the deer populations responsibly and ethically.
This approach ensures the health and well-being of the deer, contributing to the superior quality of our meat, while also preserving the rich biodiversity of Northumberland. Our dedication to these practices reflects our commitment to providing you with the finest Roe Deer meat, sourced in a manner that respects both the wildlife and the environment.
When it comes to managing Roe Deer populations, it’s important to note that only trained and qualified individuals carry out the task. These individuals use approved methods and equipment, including specific types of ammunition, to ensure a quick and humane dispatch of the deer. The shot placement is also crucial, aiming for a clean, quick kill to minimise suffering. All these practices are in line with the Deer Act 1991 and the Code of Practice on Deer Management. It’s part of our commitment to ethical and responsible wildlife management.