Harper Adams launches the PDS1

Details

Tuesday, 03 October 2023

Harper Adams University adopts the PDS1 Deer Stalking Certificate.

Harper Adams is the UK’s leading University for food production and technology, animal health and wellbeing, and their contribution to sustainable, living environments. 

This top university is committed to advancing knowledge, inspiring learners, and equipping people to find creative, sustainable solutions to the economic and environmental challenges facing our planet.

From this autumn, Harper Adams University will be offering the LANTRA Approved ‘Proficient Deer Stalking Certificate’ (PDS1) to its students.

Why the PDS1?

LANTRA are regulated by the British Standards Institute and Ofqual and have for years ‘set the bar’ for countryside skills. It is only right therefore, that agricultural students who obtain a deer stalking qualification (DSQ) should have that qualification underpinned by LANTRA Accreditation.

Furthermore, as well as having national accreditation by the UK's leading land-based awarding body, the PDS1 is also designed to empower individuals in becoming trained deer managers that are capable of sustainably managing and harvesting the UK's abundant wild deer population. The ethos of the course therefore, sits well with Harper Adams drive to sustainability, food production and animal wellbeing.   

The PDS1 deer stalking certificate is fast becoming the UK Deer Stalking Course of choice.

The course is not just for students at Harper Adams but is available to anyone that wishes to gain a recognised deer stalking qualification and become a qualified ‘trained hunter’.

There are a number of reasons why the PDS1 has proven so popular, the first is its unique method of delivery through an online, e-learning platform called the ‘UK Shooting & Hunting Academy’. A convenient e-learning platform that delivery the theory element of the course through a series of modules, classes, and exams that can be taken at a time and place that suits the candidate.

Another reason why the course has proved so be popular, is because of the widespread level of support that it has gained from professional deer stalkers around the UK who have been able to register and participate in the practical assessment of PDS1 candidates.

The widespread participation of these professional deer stalkers, who are registered as ‘Approved PDS1 Verifiers’ (AV’s), means that having completed the theory element online, the practical assessment of PDS1 candidates can take place at a location close to home, or in the case of Harper Adams, just five minutes from campus.

Left: Approved Verifier Jonty Drew introduces the PDS1 to students during ‘Freshers week’ at Harper Adams. Some of you may have seen Jonty in our latest film: youtube.com/watch

Unlike other unaccredited deer management courses, the PDS1 also delivers ‘trained hunter’ status, through the addition of a ‘Large Game Meat Hygiene’ course that is available for free to candidates that have passed the PDS1. This combined with a recommendation scheme that puts money back into the pockets of hard-working deer managers and into the hands of the ‘Country Food Trust Charity’ are further reasons why the PDS1 Deer Stalking Certificate has caught the imagination of the industry.

If you know someone who would like to get into deer stalking then why not tell them about the PDS1, email us their details This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and if they sign up we’ll send you £100-00 and donate £10-00 to the ‘Country Food Trust Charity’.

To find out more about the delivery of the PDS1 Deer Stalking Certificate at Harper Adams, follow this link: harper-adams.ac.uk/courses

To find out more about the Proficient Deer Stalking Certificate Level 1 and enrol, simply follow this link: shootingandhuntingacademy

To join a growing number of professional deer stalkers who have become ‘Approved Verifiers’, follow this link: pds1-approved-verifier-course

To learn more about Harper Adams University click here: harper-adams

To find out more about ‘Deer Stalking Qualifications’ follow this link: deer-stalking-qualifications