The DSC1 assessment tests knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• 1. Deer biology and ecology.
• 2. Legislation.
• 3. Stalking techniques and taking the shot.
• 4. Deer identification.
• 5. Safety.
• 6. Shooting.
• 7. Large Game Meat Hygiene.

DSC1 assessments are carried out by Assessment Centres accredited by DMQ. The DSC1 assessment has the following 5 modules:

1. Written. This has 50 multiple choice questions which are taken from a bank of written questions. To pass, at least 40 questions must be answered correctly.

2. Visual. Candidates are shown 20 images covering the 6 species of wild deer in the UK. The species and the sex have to be identified for each image, and both must be correct to gain a mark. To pass, candidates must obtain at least 16 marks out of the possible 20.

3. Safety. Candidates are walked round a course during which they are shown 4 deer targets and asked to specify whether they would shoot at them or not. Candidates are also asked a number of questions on safety, and all have to be answered correctly.

4. Shooting. This has 2 parts. First, the candidate must put 3 shots inside a 4 inch circle on a zero target from 100 yards. Three attempts at this are allowed in any one day. When that has been achieved, the candidate can then have 3 attempts (in any one day) to put:

• (a) 2 shots into the killing area of a deer target from 100 yards (in any position using normal stalking aids such as rucksack or bipod);
• (b) 2 shots into the killing area of a deer target from 70 yards sitting or kneeling (again normal aids such as bipod or sticks may be used);
• (c) 2 shots into the killing area of a deer target from 40 yards standing (sticks may be used).

5. Game Meat Hygiene. This has 40 multiple choice questions taken from a bank of hygiene questions. These cover areas such as recognising normal and abnormal behaviour, common diseases, signs of ill-health, possible sources of contamination and hygienic working techniques. There are also food hygiene questions on risks to human health, use of veterinary medicines on wild deer, food safety and notifiable diseases. To pass, at least 32 questions must be answered correctly.

Any candidate who holds a VRQ in Wild Game Meat Hygiene, or the NGO certificate in Game Meat Hygiene, may elect not to take this module but they will be required to produce their VRQ or NGO certificate at the DSC1 assessment.

Any DSC1 holder registered before 1 May 2006, who has not converted to Trained Hunter, may do so by sitting a Game Meat Hygiene assessment (by arrangement with any Assessment Centre) and paying the appropriate fee to the Assessment Centre.  This fee will include the re-assessment cost plus a  payment of £15 to DMQ for the re-issue of the certificate.

If you have any complaint about the assessment process, it should be directed in the first instance to your assessment centre.

REASSESSMENT

If you are unable to complete all of the 5 modules in the DSC1 assessment you will have to re-sit only those modules you did not pass. You can do such re-sits at any Assessment Centre, with their agreement; you do not have to use the Centre you are registered with. You can expect to have to pay a fee for a re-assessment, and the re-assessment must be completed within 3 years of the date of registering for DSC1.