The Deer Track & Recovery Course UKDTR

In this insightful course, leading industry experts - UK Deer Track & Recovery (UKDTR), set out clear, best practice guidance in the recovery and dispatch of shot and injured deer and the use of dogs.

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A few more words about the Deer Track & Recovery Course

This innovative course is the perfect bolt-on to the PDS1 course and is tailored to meet the needs of estate managers, deer managers, deer stalkers, and anyone who has a vested interest in deer recovery and follow-up procedures. It provides invaluable knowledge for anyone who engages in deer stalking and wants to ensure their practices are both effective and ethical.

When stalking deer, even the most experienced stalker knows that after taking a shot—whether it’s a perfect hit or not—there is a real possibility that tracking and recovering the animal may be necessary. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of deer stalking, as it requires a delicate balance of patience, skill, and knowledge. With the insights and techniques taught in this course, you will significantly improve your ability to successfully recover a deer and help to minimise the risk of unnecessary suffering and ensure a humane outcome.

The course provides in-depth training on how to prepare for potential recovery situations even before the shot is taken. You’ll learn how to pre-plan for greater success, accurately assess a shot site, identify shot site findings and make informed decisions about how to proceed. These are essential skills that can dramatically improve your chances of locating a shot or wounded deer quickly and humanely.

Moreover, the course emphasises the importance of knowing when to call for additional help. UKDTR offers a voluntary team of highly trained and experienced trackers who are available to assist in recovery situations. Recognising when their expertise is needed and how to engage them can make all the difference, particularly in high-pressure situations where emotions run high and hard decisions must be made. Their guidance can prevent costly mistakes and ensure the recovery process is handled professionally and compassionately.

By completing this short course, you’ll not only sharpen your tracking and recovery skills but also contribute to more ethical and responsible stalking practices. You’ll be equipped to handle stalking eventualities with care and precision, thereby increasing your overall success rate and reducing the likelihood of unnecessary suffering for the animal.

The course is divided into a series of interactive and engaging modules, each led by expert members of the UKDTR team.
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Course Content

UKDTR is a non-profit organisation whose sole aim is providing a free service to assist deer stalkers and deer managers to track, locate and (if required) dispatch wounded deer.

The UKDTR are always looking to increase the number of UKDTR approved tracking teams across the UK & provide training to increase the chances of successfully recovering wounded or lost deer.

The UKDTR is a voluntary organisation who receive no government funding and is reliant on donations from those who value the service that it provides.

Tony Lowry has dedicated his life to gamekeeping, blending his passion for deer stalking with a deep commitment to conservation and ornithology. With over 45 years of experience specialising in stalking roe, fallow, and muntjac deer, Tony’s expertise has grown alongside his work in the field. He serves on the committees of both the British Deer Society (BDS) Wessex Branch and the National Gamekeepers Organisation (NGO) Deer Branch. As a humane animal dispatcher for Hampshire Constabulary, he also assists with deer-vehicle collisions. Tony is the Chairman and a founding member of UKDTR, which has drawn invaluable knowledge from the Danish tracking system to enhance UK practices in the follow-up and recovery of shot and/or injured deer.