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25 Sept 2025
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25 Sept 2025
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Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform - Malcolm Noonan TD
Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue TD have announced the revision of the 'Deer Open Seasons Order'.
The announcement signals implementation of a key recommendation from the Report of the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group.
Changes to the Deer Open Seasons Order come into effect immediately, and mean an extension to the deer hunting season in the Republic of Ireland.
Changes will allow for the continuation of the hunting of female and antlerless deer until 31 March 2024 and males until 30 April 2024.
In addition, the 2024/2025 male deer hunting season will now begin at the earlier date of 1 August 2024.
The Deer Management Strategy Group was established by Minister McConalogue with support from Minister Noonan.
The report makes a number of recommendations regarding deer management in Ireland, and the implementation of this first recommendation by the National Parks and Wildlife Service demonstrates that all stakeholders are committed to a renewed vision and strategy for the management of wild deer in Ireland.
On signing the new Statutory Instrument, Minister Noonan stated that 'deer are an integral part of the Irish landscape, but overgrazing by deer has become a serious pressure for native woodlands and for peatland habitats across Ireland'.
"Extending the open season will provide land owners with greater flexibility for deer management and should, with time, help us to bring deer back to sustainable levels locally and nationally," he added.
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