IFA Countryside members with the support of Farm Business Skillnet attended the first ever organised Hunter Competence Assessment Programme (HCAP) course facilitated by the Deer Alliance.

The Deer Alliance is the organising body for the assessment and certification of persons involved in the management, conservation and stalking of wild deer in Ireland. They ran a closed HCAP Training Workshop and MCQ in Portlaoise on Saturday 12th May 2018 for members of IFA Countryside at the request of IFA Farm Business Skillnet, who subsidised candidates as part of the IFA’s ongoing commitment to training for members. Farm Business Skillnet is the training division of IFA, providing training and up-skilling to both the IFA volunteer structure and to groups of IFA members.

HCAP is now in its fifteenth year of operation and has processed over 2,700 licensed hunters since commencement.

Successful HCAP candidates receive an individual signed and sealed certificates together with a wallet-size HCAP-Certified Hunter ID Card (with individual name and number) and a HCAP badge. The HCAP badge is available only to HCAP-Certified candidates and is not generally available.

If you or your club is interested in completing the HCAP at a subsidised rate, please contact the IFA Countryside office on 1890 924 982.