Fallow responding to muntjac alarm

RuralLondoner

Well-Known Member
Hi all,

Just thought I'd pass on an experience from the other morning. I was out creeping around looking for muntjac when I came across a fallow doe feeding happily on a ride. As I often do when I come across deer out of season, I just settled down to watch her and enjoy the moment. She was head-down and feeding nicely. Wind was in my face and there was no indication for 2 or 3 minutes that she had any idea that I was there.

Suddenly from within the trees off to my right (and more down-wind) I started to get barked at by a muntjac. The fallow instantly put her head up in alarm and within ten seconds had shot off in to the trees.

I only relay this story because, until that point, I had no idea that fallow responded to the alerts of muntjac. This makes stalking in my neck of the woods much harder and had left me even less amenable to having muntjac around than I was before!

I thought others might benefit from it and I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had similar tales or, indeed, if people think I'm mistaken and the timing of her disappearance was purely coincidental and nothing to do with the muntjac alarm.

Interested to hear all views.
 
It doesn't surprise me tbh. I'm sure most deer will be alerted by an alarm call of many species including flushing pheasants etc....

fallow also have a bark like alarm call which although pitched different is similar in some respects to muntjac?
 
It's no different to birds of different species reacting to eacothers alarm calls when a sparrow hawk swings by. Pigeons also taking off out trees alert fallow wnough for them to leave in a hurry.


Seen it written many times on here about a muntjac messing up a stalk.
 
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