Deer Cluedo. Who can decode this info?!

[rogue trader]

I can't seem to upload the film that I took of this buck over the Easter weekend but here are a couple of photos I took of him before I switched the camera to film. I was on my way to put up a wildlife camera when he popped out in front of me. He walked pasted me about 25m away and cut his way through the hedge into the next field. I then walked to where he is standing in the photo and a doe popped out in front of me out of the hedge with a buck following. Unfortunately she spotted me and ran off before I could take some snaps of here.

These two pictures where taken about 100 from my folk's house.

I have no doubt that you'll have deer around you given how close you are to me. I have heard that there are Fallow on the Roseland Peninsula along the river so it is possible that they have got onto your side of the river. Perhaps a SD members from Roseland could confirm this.

Good luck with your level 1 and I have no doubt that you'll find some deer if you keep looking.

 

[User00047]

I have no doubt that you'll have deer around you given how close you are to me. I have heard that there are Fallow on the Roseland Peninsula along the river so it is possible that they have got onto your side of the river. Perhaps a SD members from Roseland could confirm this.

Yes there's Roe and lots of Fallow on Roseland, Trewithan, Trewarthenick, Tregothnan etc..... but on the other side of the river there's much less of everything

Roe haven't spread far west past Truro, in significant numbers. There's a few, but not many.
Some random Reds out there but very small groups and they move about a lot.

 

[mikeakc]

Yes there's Roe and lots of Fallow on Roseland, Trewithan, Trewarthenick, Tregothnan etc..... but on the other side of the river there's much less of everything

Roe haven't spread far west past Truro, in significant numbers. There's a few, but not many.
Some random Reds out there but very small groups and they move about a lot.

So if the terrain is perfect but the numbers are low, does anyone know what kind of rate they increase? It would be interesting to know the rate that they spread.
Mike

 

[willie_gunn]

So if the terrain is perfect but the numbers are low, does anyone know what kind of rate they increase? It would be interesting to know the rate that they spread.
Mike

How much time have you got

There are a number of factors that will affect population growth, including starting population, mortality, fecundity, immigration/emigration, cull numbers, etc. Typically a mature roe doe will average around 1.5 kids per year, so you can see why (a) it doesn't take long for roe to expand, and (b) why the doe cull is important!

If you go to the BDS website you can see how all the deer populations have expanded over recent years:

From 2000-2007: http://www.bds.org.uk/hres/roe deer.pdf and
From 2007-2011: http://www.bds.org.uk/hres/Roe%20Poster%202011%20Survey%20for%20Website

 

[mikeakc]

How much time have you got

There are a number of factors that will affect population growth, including starting population, mortality, fecundity, immigration/emigration, cull numbers, etc. Typically a mature roe doe will average around 1.5 kids per year, so you can see why (a) it doesn't take long for roe to expand, and (b) why the doe cull is important!

If you go to the BDS website you can see how all the deer populations have expanded over recent years:

From 2000-2007: http://www.bds.org.uk/hres/roe deer.pdf and
From 2007-2011: http://www.bds.org.uk/hres/Roe Poster 2011 Survey for Website

Exactly the kind of info I was after, thanks mate. All bodes well for the far SW then roll on the next few years. Cheers.

 

[User00047]

I think that a lot will depend on how many people are shooting them before they are properly established.
Roe are a saltatorial species and try to maintain territories, they often produce multiple offspring (usually twins) but suffer relatively high juvenile mortality. They disperse rapidly........ the mature animals booting out last years young in the hopes that they'll be able to find their own unoccupied territories.
On an empty island with no hunting pressure, no roads, no predators and plenty of good cover and food, I think Roe would colonise an area extremely quickly.
In Cornwall, where everyone has a gun, the roads/drivers are dangerous and feral dogs roam the barren countryside, it will take a little longer.

 

[mikeakc]

Hi All,
Right as promised I've been back to the woods in question this time with the camera to take a few photos. BillH on here told me that the hair I found was likely badger hair as it vibrated when I rolled it between my fingers. There's a lot of badger claw marks going up and down muddy banks in the woods so I'm sure he was right but a lot of the fraying seemed too deerish to ignore.

Below you'll see a few things which make me think that there's at least some deer sign in the mix. Hair on tree trunks at a height level with my waist. Fraying and a couple of likely looking prints. Still no poo. Also a couple of general shots of the woodland to give some idea of the habitat.

Could anyone give some insight into the tracks / prints? I also collected a few hairs again, some of which I'm planning on posting to a friend of mine who i'm pretty sure will be able to give me an ID either way.


Any insight appreciated as usual. Many thanks

Mike

 

[mikeakc]

The last few are probably the most interesting. I was trying to show that the bare patches of earth seem to be below ivy that has been picked clean, not sure if you can tell from the photos.
Mike

 

[billh]

Its not easy to tell from the photos but I suggest that unless you have a big cat in the area then the tree damage is deer and the flattened areas resemble deer lays.

 

[2130martin]

Mike
Looks like you have Deer around.If you want a second opinion i could pop down sometime and have a look with you or you could come up my way and I could show you some Red,Roe and Fallow sign to compare.....

Give me a shout if you want to sometime.

Cheers

Martin

ps I am in Caradon area

 

[mikeakc]

Its not easy to tell from the photos but I suggest that unless you have a big cat in the area then the tree damage is deer and the flattened areas resemble deer lays.

Thanks for taking a second look mate. Well fingers crossed you're right. I'll be composing a letter to the landowner when I have my FAC under my belt.
Cheers
Mike

 

[mikeakc]

Mike
Looks like you have Deer around.If you want a second opinion i could pop down sometime and have a look with you or you could come up my way and I could show you some Red,Roe and Fallow sign to compare.....

Give me a shout if you want to sometime.

Cheers

Martin

ps I am in Caradon area

Cheers Martin,
I've got a long way to go before I trouble anyone - still got to get my FAC first! I may well drop you a line when I'm better prepared to do actually go after the deer!

Thanks for the offer, much appreciated.

Mike

 

[matt_hooks]

mike, you say this was up the river from Falmouth. Don't suppose it's anywhere near Tregothnan by any chance?

They have a large deer park there with a good fallow herd, and there are regular escapees.

Google Maps Google maps link.

The deer park is the Y shaped grassed area to the North of "Warren Wood". Anywhere near there you may well find Fallow. There are also stories of rogue Red's in the area but I've never seen one, or met anyone who has.

 

[mikeakc]

mike, you say this was up the river from Falmouth. Don't suppose it's anywhere near Tregothnan by any chance?

They have a large deer park there with a good fallow herd, and there are regular escapees.

Google Maps Google maps link.

The deer park is the Y shaped grassed area to the North of "Warren Wood". Anywhere near there you may well find Fallow. There are also stories of rogue Red's in the area but I've never seen one, or met anyone who has.

No, not quite, opposite direction in fact. I had heard that there are a few fallow coming out of the estate though. Fingers crossed they'll head in my direction in the next few years!
Thanks for the heads up though. Do you stalk down here then?
Cheers
Mike

 

[User00047]

Mike,
Just a few photos of Roe buck fraying damage for you to compare:

 

[mikeakc]

Thanks mate, useful to see. I popped some hair in the post to a certain Ruby Tuesday of the forum and he said 100% certain that it was Roe. I think I must have found some badger and some deer because there were definitely 2 types when I compared the pocketful!
Cheers
Mike

Mike,
Just a few photos of Roe buck fraying damage for you to compare:
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