Deer Density

Sea trout

Well-Known Member
Fascinated to hear what density your deer are at per KM squared of woodland:

1. Species
2. Type of woodland
3. Geographical location (as specific as you like)
4. Whether it is a guess or whether you have conducted a survey
 
1.Fallow 45-65 and
1.Muntjac no idea but frequently see them
2. Sparse mixed with arable land
3.J28, M25
4. Guesstimate - for context, i have a 8 acre field, routinely see a herd of c.20-30 fallow in there, whilst at the same time there may be another herd in the fields immediately outside my boundary. One of my friends has reported seeing herds in the 200-300 size. I used to 200-300 figure to give the range the fields she refers to are on/next to my perm which is around 4.45km2
 
Roe.
Site 1: dense riverine woodland with horse paddocks.
Midlothian.
Density: 40+/km.
Method: formal survey with camera traps, dung counts etc.

Site 2: mixed formal garden, broadleaf woodland and conifer plantation with sheep pasture.
Pentland Hills
Density: 7/km.
Method: formal survey, with systematic foot counts every 3 months.

Site 3: mainly open hill with sporadic shelter belts and gorse thickets.
Ochil Hills.
Density: 22/km.
Method: formal survey, using thermal drone once a year and systematic foot counts every 3 months.

Site 4: mainly open hill, with patches of broadleaf woodland, bordered by mature native pine wood.
Pentland Hills.
Density: 10/km.
Method: formal survey, using thermal drone once a year and systematic foot counts every 3 months.

Site 5: dense riverine woodland surrounded by arable fields and housing estates.
Midlothian.
Density: 35/km.
Method: formal survey with camera traps, dung counts etc.
 
In a letter in todays Press and Journal, renowned red deer expert Peter Fraser claims that due to the activities of DMGs in the Highlands the average density of red deer is now less than the upper limit of 10 per sqkm required by NatureScot and that the red deer population in the Highlands (32 million hectares) is now around 250,000 out of a claimed total deer population in Scotland of 1 million
Mungos figures of between 7 and 40+ per sqkm for areas around Edinburgh (and probably the same for the rest of the central belt/lowlands) clearly indicate where the "deer overpopulation problem" lies

Cheers

Bruce
 
I looked for the article
In a letter in todays Press and Journal, renowned red deer expert Peter Fraser claims that due to the activities of DMGs in the Highlands the average density of red deer is now less than the upper limit of 10 per sqkm required by NatureScot and that the red deer population in the Highlands (32 million hectares) is now around 250,000 out of a claimed total deer population in Scotland of 1 million
Mungos figures of between 7 and 40+ per sqkm for areas around Edinburgh (and probably the same for the rest of the central belt/lowlands) clearly indicate where the "deer overpopulation problem" lies

Cheers

Bruce
I looked for the letter but assume it only goes on line after the day of publication
 
In a letter in todays Press and Journal, renowned red deer expert Peter Fraser claims that due to the activities of DMGs in the Highlands the average density of red deer is now less than the upper limit of 10 per sqkm required by NatureScot and that the red deer population in the Highlands (32 million hectares) is now around 250,000 out of a claimed total deer population in Scotland of 1 million
Mungos figures of between 7 and 40+ per sqkm for areas around Edinburgh (and probably the same for the rest of the central belt/lowlands) clearly indicate where the "deer overpopulation problem" lies

Cheers

Bruce
Most I've seen in central Scotland. Is 25 roe in one field when they herd up in winter. But as I've said. Apart from stray escaped fallow. Nowt in northwales in the last 18 years.
 
100yards from my mums door. In central Scotland. You can walk up to 30 yards at night on them. And usually see about 6 foxes .
1000023006.jpg
 
Fascinated to hear what density your deer are at per KM squared of woodland:

1. Species
2. Type of woodland
3. Geographical location (as specific as you like)
4. Whether it is a guess or whether you have conducted a survey
What goes in the chiller counts.
 
Last edited:
What goes in the chiller counts
Not really.
A stalker who shoots one deer out of a resident population of two has significantly reduced the population on his ground, whereas a stalker who shoots 20 out of a population of several hundred has done bugger all.
It's the ones that don't get shot that count, as far as density goes.
 
According to the land owner, too many. Especially in the plantation where he left the gate open for 48 hours. If only he would do something about the cover so I could see them and then shoot them. At a guess, about 5 per 10 acres, fallow, central Scotland.
 
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