Storm and deer behaviour?

[Superdrazy]

Not have been out stalking in stormy or high winds weather.

I wonder what are the sika and roe behaviour in such weather?

Whilst walking the dog in the woods today. For the second time I spotted a herd of sika, not sure if they were feeding, bedding or taking shelter. Only saw after they started to run.
I don't wanna disturb them hence the question.

Any thought ?

 

[Yorric]

If you don't want to spook the deer , take the doge somewhere else & leave them in peace.
The odds are the deer are treating the area as a "home turf" & are resting up there. In windy cold wet weather. the less deer are pushed about the more energy they will conserve. --- They often die when they can't take adequate shelter particularly in persistent cold wet windy conditions.

Ian

 

[Superdrazy]

That was not my ground. It's the woods where lots of people walk their dogs hence I'm asking. I wanted to know as I don't want to disturb them when they actually in need of shelter ... see what I mean !

 

[Heym SR20]

they will get out of the wind and rain and find shelter as much as possible to conserve energy. All ruminants such as deer do produce a lot of heat with the rumen so can quite easily cope with cold, its the cold wet and wind that they don't do well in. They also need access to food and will continue graze every four hours or so - that's why deer will tend to move down into the low ground fo better grazing. In winter when grazing is poor, and what little there is is very low in nutrition they will forage in the woods for beech mast, acorns etc - these are all high in protein which allows the bugs in the rumen to make use of the poor grass. Provide there is protein / nitrogen available, ruminants can run on very low quality grass / straw. You can actually keep cattle reasonably well on amonia treated straw, or even amonia treated newspaper - they won't fatten or put on weight, but they can last a long time.

 

[ashray]

good afternoon,during wet/windy weather I tend to find the deer inside the woods but over the last few years the surrounding fields have been planted with elephant grass<6ft high> and all the deer venture into that!

 

[Klenchblaize]

Notwithstanding the Health & Safety considerations that will inform your in-the-field dynamic Risk Assessment, woodland stalking in strong winds can be very productive for two reasons:

1. It can encourage deer to move about which may result in seeing more on your patch
2. Stalking into the wind is made simple with far less chance of being caught-out by eddies, movement or sound

K

 

[sikamalc]

In bad weather most deer hunker down. I am a great believer in air pressure with animals movement and deer along with other wildlife seem to know when there is a storm coming.
In general, they lie up and don't move too much. When its windy they cant hear as well due to the noise, and also as their eyesight is different to ours they don't like all the movement and it makes it difficult for them to make out movement that might mean you or I creeping up on them or another predator.

That's my opinion and observation over the years.

Having said that I had some Irish guys last weekend and was out on CWD in the teeth of storm Dennis on Sunday morning. Managed to get a silver medal CWD. Mind you the client was a good shot. We managed to find the buck laying down in a bean field and a 180yd shot. But then as I say you wont shoot one staying in doors.

 

[sharkbait]

The fallow bucks round my way havnt read the book on what deer do! They can be found out in the middle of a open field in sideways rain and hail blowing a hoolie and treat it like a hot day at the beach!

 

[User00025]

Our fallow are lying out in open ground in this wind, but only in spots where you can't get at them.
They sure as hell are canny beasts.

 

[BigPat]

The fallow on my permissions have retreated into the young tree belts and there is a serious lack of signs/slots on the usual patrol routes. On the other hand, the roe seem to be happy out in the middle of the fields just milling around regardless of the wind and rain.

 

[LostJock]

I am a great believer in air pressure

Malc, that’s an interesting statement. Would you expand a bit? Is it that they bunk down when it drops?
I’ve heard people talk about the roe rut being triggered by pressure (and a number of other factors).
My feeling is that humans generally can sense the same things, but we have evolved (softened?) in a way that means we don’t necessarily notice it in the same way. My wife thinks I’m crazy when I say I can smell the rain coming.
LJ

 

[Klenchblaize]

My feeling is that humans generally can sense the same things, but we have evolved (softened?) in a way that means we don’t necessarily notice it in the same way. My wife thinks I’m crazy when I say I can smell the rain coming.
LJ

Speak for yourself! I'm c62 but still get very excited by the sound of a Mayfair Gazelle's high-heels on a rain-soaked pavement!

K

 

[User00025]

Malc, that’s an interesting statement. Would you expand a bit? Is it that they bunk down when it drops?
I’ve heard people talk about the roe rut being triggered by pressure (and a number of other factors).
My feeling is that humans generally can sense the same things, but we have evolved (softened?) in a way that means we don’t necessarily notice it in the same way. My wife thinks I’m crazy when I say I can smell the rain coming.
LJ

Funny that my old girl thinks I'm mad too. She laughs her head off when I say I can smell rain, but she shakes her head when it arrives.

 

[GWP]

I,ve got a knee that forecasts rain not much good at the mo.

 

[LostJock]

Speak for yourself! I'm c62 but still get very excited by the sound of a Mayfair Gazelle's high-heels on a rain-soaked pavement!

K

Evocative. Think I glazed over for about 10 minutes there.
@The fourth Horseman @GWP I reckon you’re methods are more reliable than Met Office’s any day.
LJ

 

[VSS]

My most successful stalks have been in the few hours before the outbreak of a big gale. As if the deer were so intent on stoking up with grub before hunkering down that they didn't spot me sneaking about.
Also, I've noticed that when it's really windy my own (park) fallow are more likely to be lying out of dense cover, but tucked in the lee. I did wonder if they perhaps don't like being in the bushes when it's blowing a hoolie because the noise of the branches thrashing about would drown out any danger warning sounds.
Rain alone doesn't seem to make a difference to their timetable.
It's very interesting having some deer of my own. Learning quite a bit about their behaviour.

 

[Tagoat]

I thought everyone could smell rain? And certainly air-pressure (low) effects joints (well, mine anyway!)

 

[sikamalc]

Fallow will lay out in open fields in the wind and rain that's for sure. I used to stalk around the Rockingham forest area for Fallow many years ago. In some of the these large fields there would be a large dip in the middle and here you would quite often find Fallow bed down in a circle. It was almost impossible on a 50 to 70 acre field to get within a reasonable range.
However in the area I have now in West Sussex, they tend to hide away in some of the densest rhododendron when its blowing which also makes it almost impossible to see them. Bump them yes, stalk them...……….well not quite so easy.

 

[sikamalc]

Roe have to feed fairly regular, so after a break in the weather you will often see them out to feed. Sometimes in the middle of the day. Fallow not so much. BUT where any deer are not harassed they will move freely throughout the day.
I have had areas where Fallow have never been touched before. One area has a 12 acre meadow on it, there were 52 Fallow on this field when I first paid a visit. I shot 18 the first season. Not so easy now in this area, they soon learn. However a few weeks back there were about 25 on the same field. I had a stalker off this site with me.

The weather was good for a change, which is more than the last bloody week...……….god its been wet and muddy stalking CWD and Muntjac in Bedfordshire. Back again tomorrow again.

 

[Deutsch - Drahthaar]

Was stalking both weekends in Scotland in the middle of Kiera and Dennis and culled 4 roe & a red on both Saturdays which were the worst two days with heavy rain and 50+ mph winds. TBH I was going to cancel the above pre-planned trips due to the severe forecast but don't like letting the B&B owners down once booked, so ended up going but didn't expect to do well. The deer were all tight in the trees and on sheltered rides. However, I had to cancel this coming weekend though because I ended up with a chest infection from the previous wet and cold weekends