How's this cold snap affecting deer?

[von 0]

Shot a few deer this week here in the Scottish Borders, some really thin yearlings etc, One really good fat doe though. Minus 15-20 here in the borders last night on top of all the snow etc. This has got to start having a profound effect on deer populations etc.

 

How is the rest of the country fairing? And what condition are the deer in?

Edited January 8, 2010 by von

[Silvertip 1]

I havent seen any in a while, think they are all laying low in the thick cover where there is still alot of vegetation:(

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Im seeing the exact opposite mate ,deer sat out in the middle of fields during the day but tracking reveals they spent the night in cover .Complete reversal to normal behaviour.Maybe the slight thaw here is keeping them out to avoid being dripped on .Only a guess though.What i have noticed is that the roe are not in their taditional wintering grounds and have travelled a bit to where the food is available i guess, eg cropping .

Personally im refraining from shooting too many does in this weather as opposed to the odd one because the hard conditions give a false representatin of whats on the ground .The only time really that roe will congregate in' herds 'near the best feeding .Saw 12 this morning,4 of which were bucks , in a field of turnips being strip grazed by sheep !

No loss of condition yet but we will see if it continues !

[Hoolit 2]

Seeing lots of roe around the pheasent feeders and in the fields when the herd has brought out hay for the sheep ,they are having a pretty hard time of it at the moment snow three to four feet deep in places today a right bugger.

[mj robson 8]

If you had a cull figure in mind before all the cold weather the best thing you could do is stick to it and get it shot as quickly as possible, then leave the rest of the deer in peace.

 

Six deer compeating for the same food are going to fair better than ten.

 

They aren't having any problems here yet, plenty of Kale, turnips, fodder beet tops, rape...etc

 

Had a fat doe (going to make sausages!) and a yearling from a group of 14 yesterday morning, it's not uncommon for us to see big groups around the food source in any winter.

 

Cheers,

Mark.

[runforyourlife 361]

Im seeing the exact opposite mate ,deer sat out in the middle of fields during the day but tracking reveals they spent the night in cover .Complete reversal to normal behaviour.Maybe the slight thaw here is keeping them out to avoid being dripped on .Only a guess though.What i have noticed is that the roe are not in their taditional wintering grounds and have travelled a bit to where the food is available i guess, eg cropping .

Personally im refraining from shooting too many does in this weather as opposed to the odd one because the hard conditions give a false representatin of whats on the ground .The only time really that roe will congregate in' herds 'near the best feeding .Saw 12 this morning,4 of which were bucks , in a field of turnips being strip grazed by sheep !

No loss of condition yet but we will see if it continues !

 

 

Well theres a change in character straight away isnt it. Roe feeding with sheep??

[dicehorn 38]

Luckily I dont have a cull plan on my patches, also depth of snow in this area (about 6")is nowhere as deep as up country. However I spoke to two farmers yesterday evening and both agreed I could take my truck over to their woods with hay to put just inside the woods where I usually see them coming out. The forecast for my area does not look too good for the next week, so will get it done today.

[wireviz 8]

Got to agree with mark get your cull done and leave the rest. I have been taking out a few dependants that should ease the situation but we have had no let up now since the 17th December and the Deer are Hungary the last doe kid i shot was in a bad way and i am sure would not have made it through the rest of the winter. As our normal bad spell is feb-early march. The last real bad spell some of you wont remember it was 32 years back and i had just started stalking the deer for four years after were thin on the ground. So while they are easy to shoot when they are so hungry you can only shoot the once and deer management is a long time achievement.

Edited January 10, 2010 by wireviz

[mj robson 8]

I was out for a stalk this morning and shot a big mature doe. It had loads of fat around it Kidneys, inner fillets and above it's tail.

 

I saw 31 Roe in total for the morning and a group of 13 which had a big mature buck with a cracking fully developed 6 point head, still in velvet, but impressive non the less. And a young buck with a small freak head. I watched them for 30 minutes but decided to leave them in peace.

 

Cheers,

Mark.

[langouroux 14]

done a early morning drive from cornwall to swindon at the weekend...none of the usual spots in cornwall had anything showing but as soon as i got into devon and somerset they were out and about in the middle of fields.

 

that said a friend of mine has deer showing all over the place in north cornwall.

[rjimmer 4]

They're having it rough in Scotland.

 

http://www.obantimes.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/9416/Outrage_at_red_deer__91free_for_all_92_.html

[mj robson 8]

Scotland is a big place!!!

 

They appear to be doing well in my corner.

 

Mark.

[flytie 1]

Before the snow we had a sleety rain that froze over everything, then the snow. The deer were having it hard. I started seeing roe during the day in the grass fields, browsing round the hedges. The fallow on Bredon Hill (worcs) were hitting sheep feeders hard, pheasant feeders too. I have heard reports of fallow deer with breathing problems being shot nearby and buried.

 

Since the thaw they seem to have recovered well. I had a roe doe out of a bunch of three last wednesday and she had a good covering of fat round her kidneys.

 

ft