FRS Co-Op has announced the appointment of local coordinators to lead 15 newly established Deer Management Units—or DMUs—across Ireland, including one in Wexford. These DMUs are being set up in areas identified as national hotspots for wild deer, where populations have grown significantly and are causing increasing damage to woodlands, farmland, and road safety.
The initiative follows a key recommendation made in the final report of the Deer Management Strategy Group, published in December 2023. FRS Co-Op was awarded the contract earlier this year to implement these measures and deliver practical, on-the-ground solutions.
Local coordinators will now act as the key link between landowners, licensed hunters, and other stakeholders to facilitate targeted deer management. While FRS Co-Op will not directly employ hunters, it will support coordination between affected landowners and hunting groups who wish to take part in the programme.
The goal is to reduce wild deer numbers to sustainable levels—protecting biodiversity, restoring woodland health, safeguarding crops and pastures, and reducing the number of traffic collisions involving deer.
Michael Keegan, who is managing the national programme, is encouraging farmers and landowners in Wexford and other DMU areas to engage with their local coordinators. He’s also calling on communities to either join or help set up local deer management groups, with full support available from FRS Co-Op.
For more information, landowners can contact FRS Co-Op directly or visit their website.