Cwd range in the uk

[Beagle boy]

Good evening, I’m from the East Midlands and I have never seen a Chinese water deer around any of my permissions.
I know a guy over Lincolnshire way and he was telling about me stalk cwd in big open fields. It almost sounded a lot like shooting hares.
I was wandering what their range is in the uk, I know they like marshy ground. But I was wandering how far up north they would go?

Cheers Rob

 

[TringSaint]

They are pretty much from the east coast over to the m40, and from the m25 ish area up to south northants in the eastern area and lincs in the eastern.

 

[Beagle boy]

They are pretty much from the east coast over to the m40, and from the m25 ish area up to south northants in the eastern area and lincs in the eastern.

They are pushing a good range then, hopefully they come abit further inland

 

[TringSaint]

It all depends if the land suits them.
I’m in the vale of Aylesbury and they are everywhere but go over towards Thame and they are much more scarce - furthest west I have shot one is Oakley near Thame, but I’ve not heard of any on th other side of the m40, and if you go over the grand Union canal at tring then you don’t find them at all - that’s 3 miles from me.
Seems that man made obstacles really prevent their movements!

 

[Scarpa]

I shoot a few above Milton Keynes, the M40 does seem to restrict their range. I work in Aylesbury for 5 months per year and do a little stalking, the rest of the year I'm based in the Austrian Alpes.

It all depends if the land suits them.
I’m in the vale of Aylesbury and they are everywhere but go over towards Thame and they are much more scarce - furthest west I have shot one is Oakley near Thame, but I’ve not heard of any on th other side of the m40, and if you go over the grand Union canal at tring then you don’t find them at all - that’s 3 miles from me.
Seems that man made obstacles really prevent their movements!

.

 

[pete evans]

It all depends if the land suits them.
I’m in the vale of Aylesbury and they are everywhere but go over towards Thame and they are much more scarce - furthest west I have shot one is Oakley near Thame, but I’ve not heard of any on th other side of the m40, and if you go over the grand Union canal at tring then you don’t find them at all - that’s 3 miles from me.
Seems that man made obstacles really prevent their movements!

The M40 barrier has definitely been penetrated. Have seen CWD from Wheatley to Benson. Not in great numbers but they’ve been about for a few years.

 

[TringSaint]

The M40 barrier has definitely been penetrated. Have seen CWD from Wheatley to Benson. Not in great numbers but they’ve been about for a few years.

They are on the march!!
The conditions here are ideal for them to breed like hell.
Lots of food, mild winters and, apart from us and cars, no predators.

 

[TringSaint]

I shoot a few above Milton Keynes, the M40 does seem to restrict their range. I work in Aylesbury for 5 months per year and do a little stalking, the rest of the year I'm based in the Austrian Alpes.


.

Nice.
I have shot them over near Canfield and there are a lot that way.
My folks are in mid northants and they aren’t there yet.

 

[Andyquadra]

Nice.
I have shot them over near Canfield and there are a lot that way.
My folks are in mid northants and they aren’t there yet.

I drove past a field just south of Cranfield last year, nearly crashed at the shock that I was looking at! Turned around and took a video of 27 cwd in the one field!

Edit, just found the video, 2023

 

[pete evans]

I’m seeing increasing numbers of these all round east and south Oxford right up to the city

 

[VSS]

They are on the march!!
The conditions here are ideal for them to breed like hell.
Lots of food, mild winters and, apart from us and cars, no predators.

Not strictly true to say no predators.
Due to the high litter size, CWD fawns are tiny when born, and are predated by foxes, badgers and - believe it or not - domestic cats.

 

[25-06 Rem]

Any sightings towards Byfield, Daventry areas ?

 

[pete evans]

I got a small bit of ground in upper bodington near byfield and I’ve never seen any, haven’t been there for a while mind you

 

[TringSaint]

Not strictly true to say no predators.
Due to the high litter size, CWD fawns are tiny when born, and are predated by foxes, badgers and - believe it or not - domestic cats.

Very true. I was meaning when fully grown but as fawns they will be prey to lots of things inc raptors and corvids.