Anyone without a criminal record can train to cull deer and help tackle their surging population, the National Deer Management Programme has said. 

The deer rutting season is at its peak in October, meaning many hormonal animals lose focus and charge onto the roads, oblivious to oncoming cars. 

Drivers have been urged to be vigilant and there have been calls for an increase in the number of deer culled, to reduce the risk to motorists. 

On The Claire Byrne Show, National Deer Management Programme spokesperson Michael Keegan said any landowners with a deer problem should get in touch. 

“You can either engage the services of a hunter yourself or you can work through us,” he explained. 

“We can give you the details of a hunter and we can arrange in conjunction with the landowner and the hunter to try and sort that problem out.”

Since wolves were hunted to extinction centuries ago, deer have no apex predators in Ireland and their numbers have boomed. 

Four wolves feeding on a fallow deer. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Their huge population has a significant knockon impact on forestry and biodiversity, meaning controlling their numbers is an ecological necessity. 

In 2025, there were 79,000 of the animals culled during the open season and this year that figure will be higher again. 

“We're trying to set up deer management groups throughout the country in conjunction with landowners and hunters,” Mr Keegan added. 

“To try and achieve a better outcome and a more structured approach to deer management across the country.”

A red deer at Killarney National Park in County Kerry. Picture by: Robertharding / Alamy

Mr Keegan continued that people cannot shoot the animals themselves but courses that qualify people to hunt them are “open to anyone”. 

“You can apply for a hunting license and become a hunter yourself if you wish to do so - that's not a problem,” he said. 

“Once you haven't got a criminal record or anything like that, you can just apply for a gun license . 

“You do the relevant training courses and away you go.”

For more updates from Newstalk, join our WhatsApp broadcast channel, or follow our social media channels on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube.

Main image: Red deer stags. Picture by: Alamy.com