DMQ Approved Witness

Deer Management Qualifications are the system used to assess competency and ability of candidates to effectively and humanely manage and cull deer within the United Kingdom.

There are two tiers of qualification –

Level 1: A preliminary assessment covering a range of areas of knowledge, from ecology to game meat hygiene. The assessment concludes with a shooting test, with a candidate shooting a 4 inch target at a range of distances; standing, kneeling and prone.

and

Level 2: Consists of three stalks carried out by the candidate. The stalks are witnessed by a DMQ ‘Approved Witness’. The candidate writes up a narrative of their stalks, as does the Approved Witness. These narratives are submitted separately to an external examiner. The examiner then may, or may not choose, to contact the candidate and AW separately to question them further.

For more information I recommend visiting the DMQ website.

Having stalks observed by someone who you know is judging you can be stressful – I’ve done it, I know! There are a number of Approved Witnesses in the UK. I happen to be one of the few women to undertake the role and the only one, at present, in mainland Scotland.

Having been approached by a number of women looking to complete their DMQ and wanting a female Witness, I realised there is a wee niche and maybe it would be well to let people know I offer this service!

Whilst I don’t charge for carrying out the AW process, if travel is required I would request expenses be covered by the candidate.

If you would like me to act as an Approved Witness for your DMQ Level Two stalks, please get in touch using the contact form below and we can discuss your requirements.