Odd Roe behaviour?

[twoseventy]

Sat out yesterday evening watching the rain and waiting for the bucks to show up over a wheat field, and i saw what i initially thought was a hare making its was along the nearest tramline (only 10-15yards out). It was just the tips of the ears that i saw out of the corner of my eye.

Put the binos on the ears and realised they belonged to a Roe doe, but i assumed it must have been a very young one as i couldn't see the torso at all. Now the wheat crop was only about 18" high, and i followed the doe along the tramline for around 40 yards. all the time just seeing the head and some of the neck. In the end the doe leaps up out of the tramlines into the standing crop, and i realised it was a fully grown doe. She must have crawled the length of the tramline on her belly- i've never seen this before.

From what i saw when she jumped out of the tramline she appeared to be fairly healthy if a little stiff.

Just thought it was a little odd...

 

[VSS]

Sat out yesterday evening watching the rain and waiting for the bucks to show up over a wheat field, and i saw what i initially thought was a hare making its was along the nearest tramline (only 10-15yards out). It was just the tips of the ears that i saw out of the corner of my eye.

Put the binos on the ears and realised they belonged to a Roe doe, but i assumed it must have been a very young one as i couldn't see the torso at all. Now the wheat crop was only about 18" high, and i followed the doe along the tramline for around 40 yards. all the time just seeing the head and some of the neck. In the end the doe leaps up out of the tramlines into the standing crop, and i realised it was a fully grown doe. She must have crawled the length of the tramline on her belly- i've never seen this before.

From what i saw when she jumped out of the tramline she appeared to be fairly healthy if a little stiff.

Just thought it was a little odd...

I should think the deer find it a little odd when they spot a bloke crawling along a tramline. I bet they have a good laugh about it behind our backs!

 

[twoseventy]

I should think the deer find it a little odd when they spot a bloke crawling along a tramline. I bet they have a good laugh about it behind our backs!

True, but i couldn't fathom why a deer would want to crawl? due to the way the deer are managed on this ground the does are left, so its not like they are constantly being shot it.

i've been in the same seat and had does grazing normally, with the occasional bark if they get wind. But never seen one crawling..

 

[farrieral]

Could it have been grazing fresh shoots on its front knees like many ungulates do?

Indeed, it seems odd behaviour

 

[VSS]

True, but i couldn't fathom why a deer would want to crawl? due to the way the deer are managed on this ground the does are left, so its not like they are constantly being shot it.

i've been in the same seat and had does grazing normally, with the occasional bark if they get wind. But never seen one crawling..

My experience of roe is very limited, but I have seen them effectively "crawling", basically walking with their bellies very close to the ground by extending their front legs almost straight out in front but with knees bent so that the lower leg is still more-or-less perpendicular to the ground, and similarly back legs extended behind, but only for a very short distance (a few steps) for example crossing an open gap when following a hedge line, and only when they're suspicious that something is not right but they're not sure where (or what) the threat is. Not quite enough fear to make them run, but enough that they want to move away as furtively as possible. I don't think it would be a sustainable posture for the whole length of a tramline though.

Could it have been grazing fresh shoots on its front knees like many ungulates do?

They only do that when lame.
(The OP did mention that the deer appeared "stiff", so maybe lameness was a factor?)

 

[skywull]

ticks ?

 

[Nickb]

Never seen a roe crawling ...strange ?

 

[twoseventy]

ticks ?

Not sure, for the brief glimpse i had of the animal, it looked in fairly good condition..

 

[Pete6.5]

Did you check the tramline to see if it was rutted?

 

[deerstalker.308]

I had this exact thing once before but with a very tidy buck, I assumed it was a skill he’d acquired which allowed him to become such a nice animal, only time I’ve seen it though, tram line wasn’t deep so he must have hunkered down and done similar to what you’re saying for close to 100m before getting to safety.

 

[bogtrotter]

Never seen a roe crawling ...strange ?

Have seen them crawl under a fence.