The assessment day
A DSC1 assessment runs over an evening and the following day. You arrive at the hotel the evening before at about 1800h for dinner, a briefing and visual training. The following morning the party leaves at 0800 for the Berkenhorst facility, where assessment begins at 0900 and runs to the end of the afternoon.
Day one: arrival and briefing
Arrival the day before your assessment around 1800h. Meeting at the restaurant facilitated by the very accommodating hotel staff. Dinner and discussion, including an explanation of the visual assessment, the shooting test, the safety test and the questions to expect.
Following dinner we travel to Hotel Landgoed Stakenberg. The hotel is only 3 km from the Berkenhorst facility, where your assessment will take place, and DSC1 candidates receive a favourable rate.
The evening is not a social preliminary. The visual training that happens over dinner is where most candidates make up the ground on the module they are most likely to fail.
Day two: instruction and assessment
After breakfast we depart the hotel around 0800 and travel to the Berkenhorst facility. On this assessment day we begin from 0900 with the visual assessment and the written papers, with one or two coffee breaks as necessary. Confirmation of your understanding of deerstalking, gralloching and hygiene is achieved through the use of instructional videos.
After lunch, marksmanship and firearms safety awareness are assessed in small groups of 3 candidates. Within each group the safety test is conducted by two experienced accredited witnesses, taking each candidate's assessment individually for thoroughness.
The entire assessment process is overseen by the Head of the BASC Deer Assessment Centre, who fulfils the role of Senior Internal Verifier on the day.
After you pass
On successful completion of DSC1 you may apply for your DSC2 digital portfolio, which is the requirement for completing the witnessed cull. The DSC1 certificate itself is issued by Deer Management Qualifications.
Common questions
Where do I stay?
At Hotel Landgoed Stakenberg, three kilometres from the Berkenhorst facility. Candidates get a rate negotiated for them. Dinner the evening before is part of the assessment, not an optional extra.
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