St. Hubert Club Training
Origins
In 1957 the Club developed and began a formal programme of training, the first organisation in the United Kingdom to plan and operate a deer stalker training programme.
Interested in the type of training the Club can offer?
Accreditations
This comprehensive training programme has now been accredited by LANTRA Awards, and Members successfully completing the training will receive an externally recognised certificate of training.
The St. Hubert Club Qualified Stalker qualification is recognised by the Forestry Commission, National Trust and other organisations as being at least equivalent to the DSC level 2.
Our approach to training
It is well worth noting that all new members of The St. Hubert Club of Great Britain, irrespective of previous experience start at the beginning, there has never been any variation from this for anyone.
All trainees begin at E (Entrant level) and progress to D (Novice) grade once they have completed the induction training, C (Trainee) grade follows which finally leads to achieving B (Qualified Stalker) grade on qualification. There are no shortcuts.
Trainees undertake an induction course followed by both theoretical and practical training with a series of training days, lectures on relevant subject matter, shooting practice & testing and instructor accompanied stalks over a period of at least four years, during which time they will undergo a series of upgrading tests which will eventually qualify them as proficient stalkers in their own right.
Licences
All members have the chance to take out an annual license which permits them to stalk on the Club’s Thetford grounds on a number of designated weekends each year, they can also take stalking licenses on the Clubs other areas such as Kielder Forest and various other farms and estates where The Club manage the deer.
Initially they will be accompanied on all stalks by Club Instructors who will continually assess their attitude and aptitude toward the complete subject as well as giving them instruction on a comprehensive range of stalking skills whilst noting their ongoing progress.
Progressing through the training programme
Through the training period (D to B) trainees will need to have culled at least 10 deer on the Club’s stalking grounds to achieve Qualified Stalker status and be allowed to stalk alone. Around 50% of these will be witnessed by a Club instructor who will assess the stalk from start to finish giving instruction where needed. Both trainee and instructor will then complete the required Club paperwork surrounding each successfully culled deer.
This training program is obligatory for all Members who wish to stalk on ground that is managed by the Club and no exceptions are made however experienced the individual may be.
The quality of The Saint Hubert Club training is second to none and the highest standards are always maintained. In suitable instances, and after further consolidation of their skills, qualified stalkers may then be invited to become A grade stalkers (Instructors).
A St. Hubert Club member who has achieved either A or B status can be relied upon to be a skilled deer manager who will always abide by best practice as well as being a very safe and competent deer stalker.
