Game dealers, plantation damage and farmers

Anto....

Hi all, local farmers are onto me to cull deer from their lands. There destroying ditches pulling electric fence wiring and eating a mountain of grass on them not to mention the farmers afraid of tb also. More of them have young trees planted and are asking me to cull deer on their plantations to stop damage of young trees. I am being bombarded by farmers and plantation owners that have got wind of me deer Hunting, I know them all well mind you.
Season starts in few days and I will be able to hold 3 or 4 for my own family and friends.
this is my first year to cull for farmers that I've been talking to since the last season closed. I won't shoot unless I can put the carcass /deer to our own table or to a game dealer if it comes to that. Basically I do not want wasting good venison, are there any game dealers open in Sept out west?
Not at all in this for financial gain before anyone starts
Thanks

Richard308

Well don’t know about out west. But I know a game dealer offering a €1 per kg for venison. The hardship involved I think he’s just scalping off registered hunters and they’d be foolish to supply him. Yes I know supply and demand concept. I think he’s just playing on the excitement deer hunters have before the season starts and take any shilling he throws at them. Personally I don’t sell either. But up to lads if they want to line his pockets and destroy their backs in the process. I’m not judging anyone for selling each to their own. I’m happy taking a few animals for personal consumption.

Anto....

Thanks for reply. 👍
It doesn't bother me if the dealer man makes a killing from my deer, I couldnt careless, hats off to him. I have been asked by a fair few to cull deer for the reasons above, I absolutely love deer hunting and all that comes with it so I gladly agreed to help said people with their deer problems.
I know by walking these lands and seeing the ground for myself that I will end up having to offload to a dealer.
But I haven't the slightest of any game dealers out west and that is why I'm asking for help on here in locating dealers. Again, I am not going to shoot if I cannot put the deer to some sort of use after my own freezer and neighbors are filled.

RaySla

Anto.... wrote: »

Thanks for reply. ðŸ‘
It doesn't bother me if the dealer man makes a killing from my deer, I couldnt careless, hats off to him. I have been asked by a fair few to cull deer for the reasons above, I absolutely love deer hunting and all that comes with it so I gladly agreed to help said people with their deer problems.
I know by walking these lands and seeing the ground for myself that I will end up having to offload to a dealer.
But I haven't the slightest of any game dealers out west and that is why I'm asking for help on here in locating dealers. Again, I am not going to shoot if I cannot put the deer to some sort of use after my own freezer and neighbors are filled.

Hi, there is also another option why don't you find yourself a hunting partner to share the loa. , Now i know you have to find someone trustworthy so it might take a while lol but im sure there is plenty of genuine Stalkers out there that would love the chance.
Best of luck

cookimonster

Firstly have you the trained hunters course done, in one guise or another. If not then you cannot legally off load carcasses to a game dealer.
The use of an intermediary is not aloud unless the qualified hunter is present at the time or location of the cull.
Use the link below to give you a list of FSAI registered game dealers.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.fsai.ie/publications_wild_game/&ved=2ahUKEwjLnrDIg7nrAhWkqHEKHej5AyUQFjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw1-MCSOMfZmISvXQNLYOqBc

Grizzly 45

Looks like they finally got their act together on this and got it in line with most EU countries on hunters supplying small quantities and finally defined small quantities.:rolleyes:

4. Exemptions from Legislative Requirements
4.1 Final Consumer and Private Domestic Consumption
The final consumer is defined in Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 as “the ultimate consumer of a foodstuff who will not use the food as part of any food business operation or activity”.
Private domestic consumption is the domestic preparation, handling or storage of hunted game for private domestic consumption. To explain where private domestic consumption ends and running a food business starts, EU food law speaks of “undertakings, the concept of which implies a certain continuity of activities and a certain degree of organisation.”
A typical private domestic consumption scenario for wild game is a hunter who prepares and consumes game that he/she has personally hunted and the game is not used for supply to anyone else as part of a food business. As products from such hunting are not placed on the market, hunting for private domestic consumption therefore falls outside the scope of food law and such activity is not regarded as a food business operation.
It should be noted that it is an offence to mislead the authorities regarding the nature of one’s activities, for example, to claim that wild game was hunted for personal consumption if in reality it is intended to be supplied for eventual consumption to consumers, retailers or other businesses.
Such offences are a breach of food legislation and prosecution may result.

4.2 Hunter Exemption for the Supply of Small Quantities of Primary Products
European food law makes provision for the scenario where small quantities of wild game primary products, e.g. in the fur or in the feather eviscerated, or non-eviscerated wild game bodies, may be supplied by the hunter either direct to the final consumer or to local retail establishments, e.g. a retail butcher or restaurant who directly supply the final consumer.
A hunter supplying in such a manner is exempt from Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 which sets general hygiene rules applying to all food businesses; and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 which sets additional hygiene rules applying to businesses producing food of animal origin but must comply with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 such as the obligation to produce safe food and have a traceability system in place.
Small quantities are established under Irish Law (S.I. 22of 2020) as follows:
• No more than one large wild game or no more than three small wild game can be supplied in a week, with a maximum of three large wild game or thirty small wild game supplied in a year, and
• The wild game is supplied only to final consumers, or to retail establishments that supply the final consumer, located no more than 100 kilometres from where the wild game was hunted.
It is important to note that a hunter invoking this exemption but also supplying game meat other than primary product would have to comply with, at a very minimum, the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 involving among other things: registration, general hygiene requirements, including appropriate storage and would be required to have a food safety management system in place.
FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY OF IRELAND
Guidance on Hunting and Processing of Wild Game for Human Consumption PAGE 5
4.3 Hunter Exemption for the Supply of Small Quantities of Wild Game Meat
European food law also makes provision for the scenario where small quantities of wild game meat are supplied direct by the hunter, i.e. the primary producer, who hunted the wild game to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer.
NOTE
This exemption differs from that outlined in Section 4.2 The Hunter (primary producer) Exemption, in that this exemption (relating to small quantities of wild game meat) deals with the scenario where the hunter is supplying small quantities of wild game meat, rather than supplying small quantities of hunted ‘in-fur’ or ‘in-feather’ eviscerated or non-eviscerated wild game bodies.
Under Irish Law (S.I. No. 22 of 2020) the supply of wild game meat is restricted as follows;
• The supply must be to the final consumer or retail establishments that supply the final consumer located no more than 100 kilometres from where the wild game was hunted
• The supply is limited to the meat of no more than one large wild game or no more than three small wild game in a week
• The supply is limited to the meat of no more than three large wild game or thirty small wild game in a year
It is important to note that this exemption merely exempts the food business operator from the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, but not from Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 or Regulation (EC) 178/2002 which require among other things:
• Notification to the appropriate competent authority, i.e. local authority, of the relevant food business establishment under their control with a view to the registration of this establishment
• Compliance with the traceability obligations of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, which includes both the maintenance of records relating to suppliers and businesses they supply, and the ability to make such information available rapidly to the competent authority on request
• The responsibility for producing safe food and ensuring that all stages of the production, processing and distribution of food under their control complies with the relevant hygiene requirements of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004
• Having a food safety management system based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) Principles
• Having adequate structures and operations in place for the processing of wild game
• Having adequate facilities in place for the appropriate storage-including the ability to maintain the cold-chain of wild game bodies and wild game meat
• Having hygienic facilities to transport the wild game or wild game meat to the final consumer or local retailer
• The hunter having completed training to the satisfaction of the competent authorities in order to be deemed a ‘trained person’ within the meaning of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 (see Section 5.5 for further details on hunter training)
It is expected that the vast majority of wild game processing will be conducted at approved game handling establishments.
FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY OF IRELAND
PAGE 6 Guidance on Hunting and Processing of Wild Game for Human

cookimonster

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Looks like they finally got their act together on this and got it in line with most EU countries on hunters supplying small quantities and finally defined small quantities......

This has been in place for a while, but what you are overlooking is that there are still food safety regulations that must be observed by the hunter if they are supplying either whole game or the meat of game onto a commercial buisness.
Yes this passage clearly outlines that a hunter may deal directly with a food buisness or retailer instead of a registered game dealer (if not ham stringed by voulme / amounts ). But they are required to do so under a raft of conditions which include training, appropriate premises / storage / preparation areas / transport and record keeping.
Any buisness whether retail or a food buisness are dicing with grief and possibly disaster if they are willing to take in food products of any from with out relevant traceability. The onus is on the buisness operator to have at least one step back in traceability - the Farm to Fork Scenario but in this case Forest / Plantation to Fork.

So in a nut shell it opens the way for direct provision of game by the hunter to a commercial buisness but like the cottage food industry it must be done in accordance to various regulations.

Anto....

Trained hunter done

cookimonster

Anto.... wrote: »

Trained hunter done

Then you are good to go.

The simplest option if you are dealing with a few carcasses at a time is to chill them for a few days (up to a week, check with individual dealers) and deliver them altogether if you have to drive a long distance. Some dealers have legitimate drop off spots, again check with them.
Lads are quoting €1 a kilo I have yet to see that with my own eyes. But if your talking dressed weights you can expect the average price of a 35kg carcuss to come back at €50 to €60 depending on shot placement and overall condition. Prices fluctuate during the season and some dealers have weight bands, the heavier the animal the more per Kg.
Big problem now is the reduction in commercial trade, the UK market (which is all year around) has collapsed due to Covid and I doubt that the domestic market both here and the UK no matter how well the retailers are doing will fill the void in the commercial game market so there may be little or no outlet for them. Time and a few phone calls will tell.

Anto....

cookimonster wrote: »

Then you are good to go.

The simplest option if you are dealing with a few carcasses at a time is to chill them for a few days (up to a week, check with individual dealers) and deliver them altogether if you have to drive a long distance. Some dealers have legitimate drop off spots, again check with them.
Lads are quoting €1 a kilo I have yet to see that with my own eyes. But if your talking dressed weights you can expect the average price of a 35kg carcuss to come back at €50 to €60 depending on shot placement and overall condition. Prices fluctuate during the season and some dealers have weight bands, the heavier the animal the more per Kg.
Big problem now is the reduction in commercial trade, the UK market (which is all year around) has collapsed due to Covid and I doubt that the domestic market both here and the UK no matter how well the retailers are doing will fill the void in the commercial game market so there may be little or no outlet for them. Time and a few phone calls will tell.

I have a small chill so should be OK to store a few.
The collapse of the market in my view is a great thing, it might cancel all the poachers and lampers out of the equation that are in it for the money.
And the deer might make a comeback in heavily shot areas in parts of the country.
We might start to see a lot more bigger bucks/stags as a result of this collapse in years to come.
One can only dream

cookimonster

Anto.... wrote: »

I have a small chill so should be OK to store a few.
The collapse of the market in my view is a great thing, it might cancel all the poachers and lampers out of the equation that are in it for the money.
And the deer might make a comeback in heavily shot areas in parts of the country.
We might start to see a lot more bigger bucks/stags as a result of this collapse in years to come.
One can only dream

That's potentially true, but often called ban on game dealers etc forgets that the game meat for the domestic and commercial market must come from somewhere. AFAIK the farmed deer was a failure here.
The other point is that a percentage of hunters here hunt only for heads and when the Does and Hinds come in there is a down turn in numbers taken. Yes areas are been wiped out, to a degree but it's not just poaching the encroachment of urban areas, changes to farming etc have moved deer on or into different routines. Wicklow is riddled with deer and yet generally there are poor management practices. Too little of the right deer are culled and it will inevitably lead to more drastic measures to control the population or a weaker herd strains. From experince hard culling of deel on vulnerable land will move the deer on. But hitting them hard is not the same as wiping them out. They soon learn to avoid hunting pressures as they do during hunting seasons.

Anto....

cookimonster wrote: »

That's potentially true, but often called ban on game dealers etc forgets that the game meat for the domestic and commercial market must come from somewhere. AFAIK the farmed deer was a failure here.
The other point is that a percentage of hunters here hunt only for heads and when the Does and Hinds come in there is a down turn in numbers taken. Yes areas are been wiped out, to a degree but it's not just poaching the encroachment of urban areas, changes to farming etc have moved deer on or into different routines. Wicklow is riddled with deer and yet generally there are poor management practices. Too little of the right deer are culled and it will inevitably lead to more drastic measures to control the population or a weaker herd strains. From experince hard culling of deel on vulnerable land will move the deer on. But hitting them hard is not the same as wiping them out. They soon learn to avoid hunting pressures as they do during hunting seasons.

Good points cookimonster.
However I dont know or understand what your getting at by saying the game meat for commercial and domestic market must come from somewhere.?
Thede are areas where I'm from that are lamped by f##n eijets to such an extent that the deer numbers have fallen sharply. For example I've had farmers tell me that 5 or more years ago they had herds running around of about 20 or 30 every few mornings or evenings and now the same farmers might only see 1 or 2 deer a week. These lands have not changed due to farming, it is down to the lampers and poachers in this case for money.
This collapse if it has collapsed will do genuine hunters around me the world of good, within the areas that are decimated mind you. I am not speaking for the areas of farmland/plantations mentioned at the beginning of this thread.
Going off topic a bit but interested, can you give advice on deer management and culling? I don't fully understand this as I know there are many ways of increasing numbers, decreasing numbers, increasing big bucks/stags etc..

And yes I have seen what you have said about deer moving on and deer growing accustomed to hunters movements and hunting pressure. They are cunning, gotta love them

Grizzly 45

cookimonster wrote: »

This has been in place for a while, but what you are overlooking is that there are still food safety regulations that must be observed by the hunter if they are supplying either whole game or the meat of game onto a commercial buisness.
Yes this passage clearly outlines that a hunter may deal directly with a food buisness or retailer instead of a registered game dealer (if not ham stringed by voulme / amounts ). But they are required to do so under a raft of conditions which include training, appropriate premises / storage / preparation areas / transport and record keeping.
Any buisness whether retail or a food buisness are dicing with grief and possibly disaster if they are willing to take in food products of any from with out relevant traceability. The onus is on the buisness operator to have at least one step back in traceability - the Farm to Fork Scenario but in this case Forest / Plantation to Fork.

So in a nut shell it opens the way for direct provision of game by the hunter to a commercial buisness but like the cottage food industry it must be done in accordance to various regulations.

They must have changed those definitions within the last 2 years,as there was nothing of those definitions in the copy I had 3 years ago

IF you break it out of the skin that is. You can gut carcasses and eviscerate game birds.But thats it!! Anything further is considered processing or butchering and then comes under the same requirements of all the H&S plaver,and if you are not selling above the quantities prescribed you are not a commercial operation.
So even with these definitions,how do lads still get away with dropping in 200 plus carcasses a season and not having the facilities to handle those amounts of carcasses?Someone is cooking the books or doing dodgy paperwork.

cookimonster

However I dont know or understand what your getting at by saying the game meat for commercial and domestic market must come from somewhere.?

Simply there is a demand for venison from the consumer whether he or she cooks it themselves at home or goes to a restaurant to eat it. The most common way at the moment to provide venison for the consumer is through hunting and the use of game dealers. Closing game dealers or preventing the sale of venison won't stop the illegal trade, it may curtail retail outlets and force them to buy imported products but there will still be plenty of back door trading for the domestic demand.

Ref Deer Management...
I am not a good source for this, there are plenty of written documents both short and sweet and equally detailed and long winded on the subject of calculating cull numbers.
All I can say from the likes of forest stalking and hill stalking is that the animals are well qued in to the various times of the season.
Come opening week I'll trip over Hinds and calves and and may have only a few opportunities on stags while come the new year the hinds quickly disappear. This simple oocurance is a good form of selection, but you must be willing to cull at all times when the right opportunity arises.
On the ground leaving a good stag prior to the rut and taking a younger or older male cohorts is considered best practice, but if like many your permission may only present a shootable (legal) animal 1 in every 3 trips (or more) then as hunter do you wish to pass up the opportunity.
If you feel that there are too few animals on the ground then leave the fit Hinds and Calves be. But on the other hand if you are there to thin the numbers it's no good shooting stags and younger males as the breeding stock is in the females. So you must be willing to shot these animals from Nov to end of season and deal with the unpleasantness that may occur if culling pregnant Hinds or shooting calves at foot. Some will say that not shooting females will guarantee the herd next year but if this is on hard ground etc and lower mortality rates due to lack of predation, milder weather etc the herd can soon out fire its food resources . This will have an over all negative effect on the welfare of the herd or push the animals out into areas that they become a nuisance which can result in negative attention.

Grizzly 45

[

QUOTE=cookimonster;114434015]Simply there is a demand for venison from the consumer whether he or she cooks it themselves at home or goes to a restaurant to eat it. The most common way at the moment to provide venison for the consumer is through hunting and the use of game dealers. Closing game dealers or preventing the sale of venison won't stop the illegal trade, it may curtail retail outlets and force them to buy imported products but there will still be plenty of back door trading for the domestic demand.

Has to be more to this too.
New Zealand has flooded the European markets with cheap venison as a by product from the "velvet market"[IE the furry like skin that grows over a stags antlers until around now in the year when it sheds.Used in Chinese folk medicine which they supply].So much so that they have even put EU commercial deer farms in the unprofitable category.So there is a glut of the meat on the market already.
Yet there is still a trade for it and game dealers are buying in at cents on the kilo.So much so that they can put away 20K in "a busisness expense" every year if they are caught and fined in the district court for some illegal doings.
So where is this massive market for venison?Seems to be Europe...

Is it a pouplar meat on the Irish market?Not really.So there would be more money in rustling cattle and sheep to supply an illegal trade rather than venison. What harm would it be to try a season with a block on selling to Irish game dealers to see if that causes a drop in poaching?Sofar its the one thing that hasnt been tried that wont cost the ligit stalker and taxpayer any money.

cookimonster

So much so that they can put away 20K in "a busisness expense" every year if they are caught and fined in the district court for some illegal doings.

This was a particular incident in the past. The failing of the system is individual hunters circumventing the procedure by using illegal intermediaries.

Yet there is still a trade for it and game dealers are buying in at cents on the kilo.

There is a market for Irish venison in mainland EU. Remember unlike the UK and other EU countries we only have a 6 month season when venison and other game meat are traditionally consumed.
Again I stress this point, why would you close a sector of industry because of the wrong doings of others. I bet if you were to collate the national cull figures with the game dealers records the number of deer processed through the industry would be quite low in comparison. As I said before poachers have other outlets then the game dealers.

Grizzly 45

cookimonster wrote: »

This was a particular incident in the past. The failing of the system is individual hunters circumventing the procedure by using illegal intermediaries.

There is a market for Irish venison in mainland EU. Remember unlike the UK and other EU countries we only have a 6 month season when venison and other game meat are traditionally consumed.

On average it's even less on the Continent than here.However they do stagger their species hunts more than we do.Roe deer for example starts in May for Bucks,and Reds depending ,are open in mid August.But everything is closed by Dec 31st.Woodcock can be hunted in April/May as they migriate thru to /from Siberia.Nor have I ever seen specifically "Irish venison" being offerd in any of the resturnts.It would be a coals to Newcastle situation,when you can buy it fresh off a local hunter in season. Our stuff ends up in LiDIL and ALDI on the Continent.When was the last time BTW you saw venision for sale in our local chain stores? Haven't seen it for ages here.

Again I stress this point, why would you close a sector of industry because of the wrong doings of others. I bet if you were to collate the national cull figures with the game dealers records the number of deer processed through the industry would be quite low in comparison. As I said before poachers have other outlets then the game dealers

.

Are you having a laugh?? :pYou and I and everyone else knows those national cull figures are about as accurate and reliable as the Garda PULSE figures.They are a joke,and have been for a decade now at least.You could write anything on those returns,with little or no fear of sanctions as there is little to no chance of collation or inspection.

Simply because that is the reason we have poaching!!! It is a blood diamond money situation!! It's aisey money for some scummers to go out and shoot over according to some 300 plus deer per season,and get paid a pittance at a euro a kilo and dealers are making a killing flogging off the prime cuts at stupid money to the European market.

Well lets face it.If some GD can throw up on the judges bench 20 grand cash and walk out of the court room,then somthing is wrong here.He should arrive back in his yard to find CAB and the Revenue tearing his books and office apart to see who he has been paying out and are his vAT and tax upto date.

To be utterly pithy about it"If he has done nothing wrong ,he has nothing to fear than has he?":rolleyes:

If there is money and lax legislation involved in it in Ireland you will find chancers,and shifty bollixes aplenty in on it.Untill it gets legislated,and then the innocent parties in this case us ligit hunters get body slammed with the legislation and end up paying more money for our pains in other sure fire ways of ending poaching ,deer tags FFS!!!:mad: Who will end up paying for the printing and sales of them?Us!

Then I'd bet it will be limited to X number a county...Want to pay over the odds to shoot one deer in your own county??? Or more "tough new laws" to use a hackyned phrase,which will give us more educated poachers and make it more difficult /costly for newbies to get into the sport.

We have the same aul tune every season here..lads giving out about poaching,well maybe even moreso this year or less too?Depending on how fast NPWS staff working from home can issue deer liscenses in the next 3 days..Which shows how much of a shakeup THAT dept needs,so dont expect rangers to be out and about too much then either.

KILL the money and I'll bet you'll see a significant drop in poaching .What have we got to lose?One season where some Jerts cant go on holiday to Majorica,because there is no way to shift 300 deer as the rules are being properly enforced at the GD gate?And if they do,they have revenue and welfare asking about their cash flow.

Anto....

Kill the money as grizzly 45 said and it will stop the poaching or cut it drastically, it is the only way as far as I can see.

cookimonster

Just some info on both Irish and European game meat.
Do a search for this PDF Doc -
'Game Meat - Production and Trade in the UNECE region'
Surprising statistics from each county including Ireland, but also look at how much some mainland countries are in porting and exporting. Spain is a big exporter of game throughout Europe.

Interestingly there is little info on the Irish market, but if you read through this post and its quoted articles you will see that the Irish farmed venison industry is more or less gone.

The late nineties brought hard times for deer farmers, with the market suddenly collapsing. Though in 1999, Ireland was exporting over 800 tonnes of venison, with 95% of all venison exported.

https://www.thatsfarming.com/news/deer-farming-ireland (01.01.2018)

The home grown game meat sector has and continues to be a 'niche market' that is affected by trends, economics and consumer expectations

“Today there are only a small number of farmers in Ireland actively supplying deer for meat production, which cater primarily to specialised niche markets,” Mr Creed said.
In 2016, a total of 764 deer were slaughtered for the Irish market, but this dropped by 64.5 per cent in 2017 to just 271 deer. No deer have been slaughtered to date in 2018.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/consumer-interest-in-venison-falls-dramatically-1.3478441
Apr 29, 2018, 21:52

A reference to the seasonality of market demands:

Commenting on the sector, Minister Creed said: “Whilst there are opportunities to compete with the larger premium segment of the red meat/poultry categories, it is important to note that demand is seasonal, with the greatest concentration of retail shelf space dedicated to game in the winter/Christmas period.”

For those who are wondering where the thousands of deer carcasses end up �� here is a list of stockists of Wild Irish Game (this is just one outlets customer base and has not included the food suppliers that are used by restaurants and other commercial catering buisnesses.

CORK
Rohus Country Market
Gubbeen Smokehouse
Michael Twoomey Butcher Cork
DUBLIN
Beshoffs Howth
Cavistons
Donnybrook Fair
FX Buckley Butchers – Moore Street, Nutgrove, Talbot StreetHiggins Butchers Sutton
Higgins Butchers
The Brown Pig – Terenure
Doyles Butchers – Coolock
Fenelons Stillorgan
Gahan Meats
John O’Reilly Butcher Mount Merrion
Bradys Butchers – Fairview
Lawlors @ Mortons Butchers Rathmines
Lawlors Butchers – Ranelagh
Listons – Camden Street
Market Butchers – Prussia Street
Nyhan Brothers Butchers – Blackrock, Stepaside, Tallaght
Pat McLoughlin – Clondalkin
Ray Collier Butchers – Howth
Village Butchers – Ranelagh
Noel Kavanagh Meats – Dun Laoghaire
Moore Family Butcher
GALWAY
CR Tormey – Galway
Eugene McEntee – Portumna
Gerald O Donoghue Butchers – Gort
Hugh O Donnell Butchers – Gort
McGrath Family Butchers
Flannery Meats
KILDARE
Market Butchers – Newbridge
Nolans Butchers – Kilcullen, Naas, Sallins
JJ Young & Sons
Reilly Family Butchers
LOUTH
Tony Kieran Butchers Dundalk
MAYO
Carolan Butchers – Castlebar
Fiachra Moran Butchers – Castlebar
Heffernan Fine Foods – Ballina
JP Jennings Butchers – Louisburgh
Michael McHale Butchers
OFFALY
Cullianes Birr
ROSCOMMON
James Cunniffe Butchers – Ballaghadreen
Oliver McCabbe – Boyle
Tom Madden – Roscommon
SLIGO
Clarkes Butchers – Sligo
Derek Sherlock – Tubbercurry
Gerry Burns Butchers – Grange
Tony Wayslocha Butchers – Riverstown
TIPPERARY
The Gourmet Butcher
Hanlons Butchers
WEXFORD
LEP Doyle Butchers – Clonard, Wexford
Richie Doyle Butchers – Wexford Town
WICKLOW
Crimins Butchers – Blessington
Donnybrook Fair – Greystones
Dowlings Butchers – Ashford
Farleys Butchers – Delgany
Frank Doyle – Bray
Jimmy K’s Butchers – Arklow
John O Reilly Butchers – Blessington
KJ Butchers – Arklow
Liam Cullen Butchers – Wicklow Town
Moores Butchers – Rathdrum
Myles Doyle – Dunlavin
Lynhams of Laragh
SuperValu:
SuperValu – Clane
SuperValu – Skibereen
SuperValu – Loughrea
SuperValu – Gorey, Wexford
SuperValu – Dungarvan, Waterford
SuperValu – Westport
SuperValu – Arklow
SuperValu – Blachardstown
SuperValu – Bray
SuperValu – Ballinteer
SuperValu – Blackrock
SuperValu – Knocklyon
SuperValu – Mount Merrion
SuperValu – Johnstown
Dunnes Stores:
Dunnes Stores – Cornelscourt
Dunnes – Rathmines
Dunnes Stores – Swords
Dunnes Stores – Portmarnock
Dunnes Stores – Blanchardstown
Dunnes Stores – Newbridge

https://wildirishgame.ie/stockists/

Is there a demand abroad for venison, yes. Although Covid has had a big impact on the UK market recently pre Covid days saw a building demand on venison with the UK market relying on imports while at the same time still exporting to mainland UK. Note that they export roe to the EU market, surprising fact considering the abundance of the little deer throughout mainland Europe.Niw if it was one of the exotics then I would understand, but coals to Newcastle so to speak means that there is a market in those countries who are traditional hunting communities.

With the growing trend in healthier, alternative foods and the use of it on many restaurant menus, venison is becoming more and more popular as an everyday food for the general consumer. But can the market keep up with the demand? At the moment the UK imports around a third of the venison it consumes, yet exports a third of the venison it produces to Europe (mostly roe deer). If demand continues to increase as it is, UK imports will need to double.

https://hfv.co.uk/can-the-uk-venison-market-keep-up-with-the-growing-demand/

If anyone has data and figures of the Irish Game Meat market please post it, I can't find any info. It would give us a idea as how much wild deer is going to market.