Raising deer numbers

[jakey3]

So we have 8-9 roe kicking about on ours. It’s taken a while to get back up to that number as in the past we were hammered by dog lads poaching and it ruined the deer numbers. Now I’m wanting to start taking 2-3 roe a year for the freezer as version is bloody lovely and it’ll go round several households round the family. Is feeding going to bring more deer in from other areas or just feed the ones we have. Is it worth starting to feed basically? And peoples experiences to try up the numbers a bit? Cheers

 

[timbrayford]

So we have 8-9 roe kicking about on ours. It’s taken a while to get back up to that number as in the past we were hammered by dog lads poaching and it ruined the deer numbers. Now I’m wanting to start taking 2-3 roe a year for the freezer as version is bloody lovely and it’ll go round several households round the family. Is feeding going to bring more deer in from other areas or just feed the ones we have. Is it worth starting to feed basically? And peoples experiences to try up the numbers a bit? Cheers

Just stick to culling males!

 

[Nickb]

Yep as above , just take bucks until numbers increase which they will.
Then try and take doe kids until your population is sustainable.

 

[HonestJohn]

How big is the ground/type?

 

[shakey jake]

What does the land owner want?

 

[jakey3]

How big is the ground/type?

500 acre of arable land in North Yorkshire. Have 3 acre wood and 11 acre wood so you’d think it’s good. 5-6 mile away The deer population is quite good on roe and fallow then the odd red that escapes from a deer farm but there’s just an area round here which isn’t that great.

 

[jakey3]

What does the land owner want?

That’s me I want venison for the freezer but I don’t want to kill off what deer we have

 

[Camdig]

Shoot bucks and yearlings leave the Does that produce, game crops and bird crops will help giving a bit of food and cover.

 

[Nickb]

500 acre of arable land in North Yorkshire. Have 3 acre wood and 11 acre wood so you’d think it’s good. 5-6 mile away The deer population is quite good on roe and fallow then the odd red that escapes from a deer farm but there’s just an area round here which isn’t that great.

The FC hammer them around around you

 

[JTO]

Neglect the field corners to create refuges. Don't obliterate the brambles.

 

[HonestJohn]

500 acre of arable land in North Yorkshire. Have 3 acre wood and 11 acre wood so you’d think it’s good. 5-6 mile away The deer population is quite good on roe and fallow then the odd red that escapes from a deer farm but there’s just an area round here which isn’t that great.

As said, stick to young cull bucks for a while, leave anything mature and esp leave older does well alone. That size ground should hold 10-20 roe IMHO, depending on hedgerows and type of woodland. Deer will flow to less disturbed ground or better feeding naturally though as population size increases, so if your neighbours hit them hard and create vacuums, you might find you are unable to keep a population much higher than say 10, because they defect to neighbouring land. In that case, focus on shooting deer near the neighbours and try to draw some back in by creating your own peripheral pockets, and leave the main breeding deer alone

 

[Dickie]

There might be that the deer don't like that area if all about is a good healthy population but they're not spreading to that part.

 

[shakey jake]

Make sure the woods have plenty of cover and arent too tidy

 

[Heym SR20]

An aniseed flavoured mineral block or two are useful to bring deer in. Put them in the middle of your ground. Also keep some areas towards the middle as sanctuary areas - typically areas of woodland and close to the buildings. Don’t shoot deer in those areas. Shoot deer out in the fields and towards the edge of the ground.

As others have said, be selective in what you shoot. Good does with twins of good size are prime breeding stock - these absolutely should be left alone.

Up to you but would leave the wee spike bucks, unless they are very small. Let them grow another season and see how they develop. I think the venison on a young but mature buck is much better than that of last years fawns.

With the youngsters - males and females, if they are scruffy, thin, small etc the will never come to much so shoot those. Also anything that looks lame.

If you do shoot a doe, look for one without a youngster - for whatever reason she hasn’t produced / reared one - a good one to take.

Mature bucks - let them get well mature before you shoot. Older bucks start drooping at the neck and rump. Antlers will grown together at coronets, be tall but will be getting thinner. I would sparingly take these. Old bucks hold terratories and keep young ones at bay. Shoot the old ones and lots of youngsters and fray everything.

Typically of 500 acres you can take 3 or 4 a year, or about 25 to 30% of the numbers.

 

[Apthorpe]

I’d encourage you to be absolutely certain that the landowner who gave you permission to reduce the numbers of deer on his land actually wants you to increase the numbers.
Personally, I’d be quite annoyed at the increase and very probably inclined to end the permission over the breach of trust if I hadn’t been asked in advance.

 

[Mungo]

So we have 8-9 roe kicking about on ours. It’s taken a while to get back up to that number as in the past we were hammered by dog lads poaching and it ruined the deer numbers. Now I’m wanting to start taking 2-3 roe a year for the freezer as version is bloody lovely and it’ll go round several households round the family. Is feeding going to bring more deer in from other areas or just feed the ones we have. Is it worth starting to feed basically? And peoples experiences to try up the numbers a bit? Cheers

Roe can nearly double population size every year if left alone.

With the size of ground you have, with those woods, you could easily have 30-40.

Easiest way to get to large numbers is just completely leave them alone for 3 years.

You’ll then have the opposite problem…

 

[Flash42]

I’d encourage you to be absolutely certain that the landowner who gave you permission to reduce the numbers of deer on his land actually wants you to increase the numbers.
Personally, I’d be quite annoyed at the increase and very probably inclined to end the permission over the breach of trust if I hadn’t been asked in advance.

He's replied to someone else above. He's the landowner!

 

[jakey3]

As said, stick to young cull bucks for a while, leave anything mature and esp leave older does well alone. That size ground should hold 10-20 roe IMHO, depending on hedgerows and type of woodland. Deer will flow to less disturbed ground or better feeding naturally though as population size increases, so if your neighbours hit them hard and create vacuums, you might find you are unable to keep a population much higher than say 10, because they defect to neighbouring land. In that case, focus on shooting deer near the neighbours and try to draw some back in by creating your own peripheral pockets, and leave the main breeding deer alone

Spot on cheers

 

[jakey3]

I’d encourage you to be absolutely certain that the landowner who gave you permission to reduce the numbers of deer on his land actually wants you to increase the numbers.
Personally, I’d be quite annoyed at the increase and very probably inclined to end the permission over the breach of trust if I hadn’t been asked in

I’d encourage you to be absolutely certain that the landowner who gave you permission to reduce the numbers of deer on his land actually wants you to increase the numbers.
Personally, I’d be quite annoyed at the increase and very probably inclined to end the permission over the breach of trust if I hadn’t been asked in advance.

our area is nothing like what the numbers are like further north and further south! Most farmers round here like to see them as like I said in most

An aniseed flavoured mineral block or two are useful to bring deer in. Put them in the middle of your ground. Also keep some areas towards the middle as sanctuary areas - typically areas of woodland and close to the buildings. Don’t shoot deer in those areas. Shoot deer out in the fields and towards the edge of the ground.

As others have said, be selective in what you shoot. Good does with twins of good size are prime breeding stock - these absolutely should be left alone.

Up to you but would leave the wee spike bucks, unless they are very small. Let them grow another season and see how they develop. I think the venison on a young but mature buck is much better than that of last years fawns.

With the youngsters - males and females, if they are scruffy, thin, small etc the will never come to much so shoot those. Also anything that looks lame.

If you do shoot a doe, look for one without a youngster - for whatever reason she hasn’t produced / reared one - a good one to take.

Mature bucks - let them get well mature before you shoot. Older bucks start drooping at the neck and rump. Antlers will grown together at coronets, be tall but will be getting thinner. I would sparingly take these. Old bucks hold terratories and keep young ones at bay. Shoot the old ones and lots of youngsters and fray everything.

Typically of 500 acres you can take 3 or 4 a year, or about 25 to 30% of the numbers.

thank you very much bloody useful reply that

 

[VSS]

I’d encourage you to be absolutely certain that the landowner who gave you permission to reduce the numbers of deer on his land actually wants you to increase the numbers.
Personally, I’d be quite annoyed at the increase and very probably inclined to end the permission over the breach of trust if I hadn’t been asked in advance.

Not all landowners want deer numbers reduced.
In some cases I know of, you'd be likely to have your permission ended if you significantly reduced the numbers, rather than simply maintaining them.
Not sure what you're implying by "breach of trust"?

In this particular case the OP is the landowner, so he can do as he pleases in respect of deer numbers.