nocturnal fallow and livestock

[cheapscaff]

hi all i picked up some land last november with mainly fallow. i have been there once a week and only managed to shoot 2 does to date.
The whole area seems to pursue fallow with high seats in virtually every field and edge of forestry land. I can see fallow in the forestry but they’re not coming out and now the does are out of season the odds are even lower. I have purchased a digital scope to get the last 1/2 hour of daylight (without ir) on the prickets/bucks. There are a lot of sheep on the land and later this week i believe the cattle are moving back in i personally don’t like cows having had a bad experience whilst out foxing on night.
I have always thought deer don’t like livestock what are your thoughts on this.

 

[Hazlett]

From my experience in my 'patch', I don't think that it is that fallow don't like livestock, since I have seen them graze within groups of cattle and sheep. I think it's more likely that the cattle/sheep have already eaten the best bits and the deer consequently tend to select other sources of best available food.

There's no reason not to use IR in the first/last hour, except it is a pain because it focusses at a different distance.

 

[VSS]

Fallow are quite happy with cattle, but not at all keen on sheep.

 

[Tim.243]

hi all i picked up some land last november with mainly fallow. i have been there once a week and only managed to shoot 2 does to date.
The whole area seems to pursue fallow with high seats in virtually every field and edge of forestry land. I can see fallow in the forestry but they’re not coming out and now the does are out of season the odds are even lower. I have purchased a digital scope to get the last 1/2 hour of daylight (without ir) on the prickets/bucks. There are a lot of sheep on the land and later this week i believe the cattle are moving back in i personally don’t like cows having had a bad experience whilst out foxing on night.
I have always thought deer don’t like livestock what are your thoughts on this.

Use a IR as it will help you see the pizzle, when the first/last hour was written digital scopes/ir's were not used or heard as the key word is "daylight" in the wording
This was in the last hour just switched it on to show the difference.
Good luck with the Fallow

 

[Zephyrjim]

You mention high seats in every field. Not knowing the background, number of other stalkers etc. So might be well wider of the mark, but could it be they have become used to people in/ or of them during evening stalking light, and gone nocturnal as a result of over disturbance? Or could be that forest is their safe haven and they are out elsewhere but returning early morning hence them not being out at last light.

 

[Scuffy]

Have you tried looking during the middle of the day ?

 

[VSS]

Have you tried looking during the middle of the day ?

This
Or afternoon tea time. I find 4pm to be quite a productive time for fallow once the days get longer.
And if you're stalking once a week, and it's the same day every week, they'll soon learn your pattern of behaviour and make themselves scarce on that day.

 

[SikaSeeker]

Or during a bit of rain, or stalk your ground from a different direction than the norm

 

[cheapscaff]

hi all thank you for your input and i will take that on board. Regarding the use of ir during legal time limits that would be a game changer is this normal practice or frowned upon or a necessity in this situation. I don’t have cull numbers to achieve but need to be productive.

 

[75]

You don’t need IR - a digital scope like Alex will give you more than good enough images to shoot within legal hours without any external illumination.

 

[cheapscaff]

great i’ll post the results at the end of the month.

 

[Tim.243]

great i’ll post the results at the end of the month.

With late "young" fallow bucks also them moving around at last knockings seeing the pizzle can be hard
I would take a IR as some in your scope will be out of season. !

 

[Blair]

coniferous or broad leaf forestry? If they arnt coming to you on open fields perhaps get into the woodland and stalk in? Move high seats? Or as others have said try some other times. If you havnt access to the forestry then changing your times may be productive.

 

[dryan]

Fallow round here come out very late, usually after shootable time, get the odd animal out early but most don't.

I've seen them graze within feet of sheep, never seen near cattle but if the cattle are a distance away they will graze. I don't shoot land when cattle are out as theyre too inquisitive.

Mornings are often most productive on land where the fallow don't come out until after dark, but you probably need to be in place before first light so get a chance of a shot before they head for cover. It helps to know their path to cover so you can work out an ambush point.

 

[old keeper]

Over the years I've noticed that most animals avoid fields where sheep graze, the classic is rabbits. If the field is small they will move next door if possible.
I've always believed that it's because sheep **** constantly and foul the grass. After a couple of weeks after the sheep leave, the rabbits will be back. Roe also avoid fields where sheep are in numbers.

 

[Hayduke]

Use a IR as it will help you see the pizzle, when the first/last hour was written digital scopes/ir's were not used or heard as the key word is "daylight" in the wording
This was in the last hour just switched it on to show the difference.
Good luck with the Fallow

 

[Spear Chucker]

Over the years I've noticed that most animals avoid fields where sheep graze, the classic is rabbits. If the field is small they will move next door if possible.
I've always believed that it's because sheep **** constantly and foul the grass. After a couple of weeks after the sheep leave, the rabbits will be back. Roe also avoid fields where sheep are in numbers.

I occasionally see fallow grazing with sheep in areas where I shoot, but the deer population is enormous, so I assume pressure has something to do with it. It tends to be early in the season before the grass growth has really kicked off and before there is an abundance of other sources of roughage in the woods and margins. I assume there is a correlation between forage availability and the desire/need to graze where sheep are. The fields I have seen them grazing together also seem to usually be fields that are warm and sunny in the late afternoon and South or West facing.
I wonder if it is as Old Keeper suggests, and just because the sheep make the pasture sour/foul, or whether it is also because the sheep graze grass quite tight, denying the richer leafier length to the deer. I suspect it is a combination of factors, probably including the point that sheep tend to attract more human interaction with "lookers" as well.

 

[NickJ]

IMHO: roe hate sheep, all other species just don't like them. All species will tolerate other livestock

 

[Somerley]

Fallow are quite happy with cattle, but not at all keen on sheep.

Exactly this