Welsh Deer

[paul k]

Good evening all , this is a question for the Welsh stalkers mainly, I have been stalking deer in the Carmarthenshire areas for the past 13 years and I have only ever seen fallow . I have seen trail cam footage with muntjac but I have never witnessed it with these eyes, I have also been told that there are Roe about but again, these eyes have never witnessed it . So the question my fellow stalkers is , have any of you seen with your eyes Roe or muntjac in the Carmarthenshire area Cheers Craig

A family member lives not far from Cardigan and occasionally sees deer in his garden that he is sure are not fallow. I can’t tie him down to them being roe or sika, or actually fallow after all.

 

[gelert]

There was a bronze medal sika from “Carmarthen in the 2023 CIC listing.

Most likely an escapee.

 

[gelert]

A family member lives not far from Cardigan and occasionally sees deer in his garden that he is sure are not fallow. I can’t tie him down to them being roe or sika, or actually fallow after all.

Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve has a herd of red and a few sika

 

[8x57]

Wasn't there once a small herd of Sika kept on one of the islands in the Bristol channel, and weren't there reports of then swimming across to the mainland?

 

[Cyffylog]

Fair population of Sika at Pendine, Carmarthenshire. MOD land.

 

[VSS]

Wasn't there once a small herd of Sika kept on one of the islands in the Bristol channel, and weren't there reports of then swimming across to the mainland?

Lundy, in the Bristol channel, has sika deer, but I don't think there are any reports of them swimming ashore.
However, a herd of reds were put onto one of the Tudwal islands (off Abersoch, Llyn peninsula) by Carla Lane (maybe 35 years ago?) and when they'd eaten everything on the island they swam ashore to Abersoch. They never established themselves in the area, but that is the reason why the BDS deer distribution maps show red deer on Pen Llyn.
(Incidentally, it's the same island that Bear Grylls is now the leaseholder of).

 

[Smellydog]

I saw a roe doe in Coed y Brenin forest anou 15 years ago.

 

[Puds]

It would be great if there were more deer in wales as I want to move to the Worcestershire/ Herefordshire/ Shropshire/ Powys area and buy another small holding and having deer in the vicinity would be great.

I know that there are deer in most of those counties but nothing like having them on your doorstep!!

I lived on the Worcs/Herefordshire border and still stalk an estate on it, stalk farms on the Herefordshire/Shropshire border, and am now living on the Herefordshire/Powys border. There’s no shortage of deer around here! Mostly muntjac and roe for me on my grounds, but there’s large fallow populations around too.

With regards to Powys, I see plenty of roe when walking in Radnor Forest, and have shot muntjac very close to Presteigne.

 

[8x57]

I saw a roe doe in Coed y Brenin forest anou 15 years ago.

That's interesting to know because I had a friend who stalked around Coed-Y-Brenin some twenty + years ago and he told me that it was only fallow in the area. Perhaps it was at that time and they have since moved in, or perhaps they were always there and he just never saw any.

 

[VSS]

That's interesting to know because I had a friend who stalked around Coed-Y-Brenin some twenty + years ago and he told me that it was only fallow in the area. Perhaps it was at that time and they have since moved in, or perhaps they were always there and he just never saw any.

They were always there. Very small number. I believe they're a residual indigenous population, but that's only my opinion.

There's a place by Coed y Brenin called Abergeirw. That's a clue that there's been deer in the area for a very long time. The fallow have only been there since the 1960s

 

[Smellydog]

That's interesting to know because I had a friend who stalked around Coed-Y-Brenin some twenty + years ago and he told me that it was only fallow in the area. Perhaps it was at that time and they have since moved in, or perhaps they were always there and he just never saw any.

I don't know but to put it mildly I was very very surprised!
It crossed a narrow ride and I can still see the little tush.
No tail and no horseshoe.

 

[8x57]

There's no reason why they shouldn't be there.

 

[paul k]

Lundy, in the Bristol channel, has sika deer, but I don't think there are any reports of them swimming ashore.
However, a herd of reds were put onto one of the Tudwal islands (off Abersoch, Llyn peninsula) by Carla Lane (maybe 35 years ago?) and when they'd eaten everything on the island they swam ashore to Abersoch. They never established themselves in the area, but that is the reason why the BDS deer distribution maps show red deer on Pen Llyn.
(Incidentally, it's the same island that Bear Grylls is now the leaseholder of).

This is my understanding of events regarding the sika and the Lleyn reds. The BDS also show reds in the Conwy valley but despite spending time looking and listening in the rut I’ve seen no trace of any.

 

[paul k]

They were always there. Very small number. I believe they're a residual indigenous population, but that's only my opinion.

There's a place by Coed y Brenin called Abergeirw. That's a clue that there's been deer in the area for a very long time. The fallow have only been there since the 1960s

According to the NRW there are now some roe in Coed y Brenin but contrary to law which requires them to promote native species the NRW are actually culling the roe pretty hard in Wales, especially in newly colonised areas.

 

[paul k]

Fair population of Sika at Pendine, Carmarthenshire. MOD land.

There was a body of thought which had this population as red x sika hybrids.

 

[Craigsaun]

Here is a photo sent to me by a concerned farmer in Carmarthenshire . I was expecting fallow , I was quite surprised when I saw this

 

[Baldwelshman]

Until recently my father had a smallholding on the edge of Drefach Felindre, (north Carmarthenshire) and for many years he's had a small group of reds, with a decent stag leading, regularly wander through.
his land was bordered by extensive little-used estates and woodland.
and yes, we managed to resisted the temptation ! (apparently in spite of being Welsh )

 

[paul k]

Here is a photo sent to me by a concerned farmer in Carmarthenshire . I was expecting fallow , I was quite surprised when I saw this View attachment 369592

They look like reds but they might be hybrids, I don’t think they’re pure sika, but it’s a fairly long range photo with poor definition.

 

[Craigsaun]

They are reds , I was expecting fallow , these will be left alone if it’s anything to do with me

 

[Goose504]

Firearms ownership Is quite high in Wales, at least 5 firearms licensed owners within 100 yds. of my house, all farms are quite small so deer management is hard to achieve , unfortunately it is every one for themselves, deer will be shot when seen.

Couldn’t agree more what part of wales are you from pal?