CWS1: Deer control and management
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-10)

What you must do to get paid for this CSHT action and advice on how to do it.

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) before you apply.

Duration

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£105 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to reduce the harm deer are causing to priority species and habitats.

The purpose is to support priority species and habitats by allowing them to thrive.

Where you can do this action

You can only do this action on eligible land where:
- native or naturalised deer (European roe deer, red deer and fallow deer) are causing harm to priority habitats and species
- invasive non-native deer species (Chinese water deer, Reeves muntjac or sika) are present
You should do this action on the same land as a habitat creation or management action. You must get approval from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer to do this action if you’re not doing another habitat creation or management action on site.

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land-use-codes-rural-payments) which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland manager will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:
- put up an agreed number of deer monitoring structures (‘exclosures’) in year 1 of your agreement
- carry out the agreed level of culling set out in your species management plan
- carry out habitat impact assessments in years 1, 5 and 10 of your agreement
When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- habitat impact assessment reports
- evidence of culling activity and cull numbers using [the cull effort form], supported by photographs, when requested
- any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents, or permissions connected with the work
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- a species management plan agreed with the Forestry Commission and Natural England (if your application includes non-woodland habitats)
- Scheduled Monument Consent (https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/consents/smc/) from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest#get-consent-to-carry-out-operations-on-your-land)
- licence A16: to shoot deer during the closed season or at night (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deer-apply-for-a-licence-to-shoot-them) if you intend to do this as part of your management plan
You may need to:
- get advice from your Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- get any other wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan, species management plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for funding through capital grants plans funding (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders#capital-grants-plans).

You can also apply for capital items (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders) to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

About wild deer

All species of deer are mostly found in woodland settings. Read the Forestry Commission’s operations note 59: management requirements for woodland supplement CWS1 Deer control and management (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/management-requirements-for-woodland-supplement-ws1-deer-control-and-management-operations-note-59).

Managing deer impacts

Your species management plan will give details of the management actions you’ve agreed with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission deer officer or woodland officer.

Manage impacts by shooting

You can only use lethal control by shooting to control deer when they are:
- causing damage
- invasive non-native species
Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission deer officer or woodland officer may invite you to a deer management awareness course.

Deer are protected and may not be shot during their close seasons. If you require a licence to shoot them during the close season or at night read Natural England’s guidance on capturing and shooting deer (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/deer-licences) to make sure you have the correct licence to carry out this activity.

Have regard to legislation and good practice relevant to the actions you carry out, such as:
- the Deer Act 1991
- UK Firearms legislation
- relevant food regulations in respect of handling of carcases to enter the food chain, or disposal of carcases in an approved manner when contaminated and not suitable for human consumption
- the Deer Initiative best practice guides (https://thedeerinitiative.co.uk/guides-landing-basc/)