Deer Central provide the highest standard of Deer & Wildlife Management to Land Owners, Instruction and Training to those looking to learn new skills and Experience events to connect with wildlife, wild food and the outdoors.
We are approved training providers under the Forestry & Arboriculture Training scheme, an initiative by the Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Forestry Commission.
We are also approved Training providers under the British Association for Shooting and Conservation.
All involved in delivering a service through Deer Central are qualified and highly experienced in their area of expertise.
Founding Director of Light Alder Ltd T/A Deer Central
Trainer and Assessor Accredited by The British Association for Shooting and Conservation
Ben Lightowler joined the British Army in 1999 aged 17 and served in the Middle East before leaving regular service at aged 24 and joining the reserves where he served a further 3 years. During his service, he found particular enjoyment competition shooting and gained qualifications in instructing and marksmanship coaching.
Ben’s career in Deer Management began during regular army service with the service provider of deer management to the Ministry of Defence Estate. He undertook an extensive training scheme over several years as a probationer before promoting, taking on responsibility, eventually coordinating and montitoring the training progression of trainees in the South East District. Ben won the annual shooting competition in 2005 and the President’s prize in 2017 for his contribution to the organisation in his role as Training Coordinator. The training system involved the completion of training objectives under the guidance of experienced mentors and a practical progression towards and acheiving Deer Stalking Certificate 2.
Bens civilian career saw him settle in Dorset where he took a role in Private Service on a large sporting estate where he spent 11 years as a Butler in the Principle’s 260 room country residence. He facilitated daily life and events including shoot parties and formal dining, valeting and maintenance of sporting equipment including a large gun room with historic and modern shotguns and rifles.
The desire to be out amongst nature and sharing his knowledge of deer meant that Ben’s work in the deer management sector, enabled by a supportive employer, continued concurrent to Private Service and Deer Central was founded in 2016 as a provider of Training Courses including the Deer Stalking Certificate.
Ben was approached by BASC in 2017 to train as an Assessor for the Deer Management Qualifications and gained further qualifications in teaching and assessing for the role. He now run’s thier regional courses for the Deer Stalking Certificate and Firearms Safety.
Everyone remembers their first successful stalk or the first close encounter with a wild deer. I’ve often found myself reliving these experiences alongside others on their first stalk. To be able to equip a newcomer with the skills needed to work knowledgeably and efficiently as well as doing a conscientious and humane job comes with great satisfaction.
Ben Lightowler
