To complete your DSC2 portfolio you will need to complete at least 3 witnessed stalks.

If you registered before 1 June 2010, and have been issued with a Blue portfolio, at least one of these stalks must be witnessed by an Approved Witness or an Accredited Witness, the others can be witnessed by a Credible Witness.

If you registered after 1 June 2010 you will have been issued with a Green portfolio, and all 3 of these stalks must be witnessed by an Approved Witness. Candidates who register after 1 June 2010 will receive a list of those Witnesses who are currently approved by DMQ with your DSC2 portfolio, and you may choose any Approved Witness from that list. You can also view the Guidance issued to Approved Witnesses.

Some Approved Witnesses offer witnessed stalking opportunities, others will accompany you on an area on which you have permission to stalk. You may be charged for the services of an Approved Witness, but you should be aware that you do not need to shoot a trophy animal at great expense. You should also be aware that there is a great range of prices charged by different witnesses and it is up to you to shop around to identify what is a reasonable price, both for the stalk, and for the witnessing, which may be charged separately.

Becoming an Approved Witness To be considered as an Approved Witness you must:

• 1. apply to a DMQ Approved Assessment Centre
• 2. hold DSC Level 2
• 3. hold the Large Wild Game Meat Hygiene certificate or a “blue” DSC 1 certificate
• 4. be technically competent. Your knowledge and skill may only relate to certain Performance Criteria (PC) within an Individual Cull record (ICR) and if so you should only undertake to observe and witness such PC’s. For example a Meat Hygiene Service Inspector may undertake the witnessing of PC’s 3.1 to 3.8 and 4.1 to 4.6
• 5. have relevant experience
• 6. attend an introductory briefing
• 7. accept the conditions of witnessing
• 8. have an e-mail address
• 9. provide 2 references.

An explanatory note is available, and you can download an Approved Witness Application Form together with the Referee Form.

When you have been accepted as an Approved Witness by the Assessment Centre, they will advise you of the dates and locations where you can attend an introductory briefing.