How To Deal With Roe Fawns In Meadows?

[trenchfoot 4,243]

With the delayed spring the roe are only just dropping fawns around here at the moment. However, silage fields are due to be cut this week (weather permitting!). Having seen a few go through machinery over the last few years, I was hoping to do something about it. I have a collie that marks fawns/ shot deer reliably and was wondering about running himmthrought the fields before they are cut. The question is, what to do when he marks them? Any ideas greatly appreciated

[sussex 5,777]

What ever you do will be better than the cutter going over them , personally id move them to the edge of the field in cover , the doe will find them when she returns .good luck

[Lab 10,979]

Unless you were walking infront of the machine cutting id be surprised if you made any difference. If you move one say the night before it will go back in.

[sussex 5,777]

I was thinking you would be moving them just before you cut , the day before as Lab said would be to early . We don't have many roe on the farms I stalk down here & its sad to see them get killed like this .One of my farmers had a bar fitted with sections of chain hanging down so as he cut the chains touched the deer and they moved , at least enough for him to see them , worked good on the fallow but some of the roe just tucked down even more .

[seprim 32]

Would they be bedded in the periphery of the fields or "just about anywhere" ? My guess is - go out with the farmer and do a walk round just prior to cutting, but I'm a novice and don't know for sure.

 

Andrew

[alimac 882]

Cut from the middle first and work towards the edges.. Cutting around the edges first although prob the most efficient way, it makes things hesitate on leaving the field & crossing the new open ground.

[trenchfoot 4,243]

What ever you do will be better than the cutter going over them , personally id move them to the edge of the field in cover , the doe will find them when she returns .good luck

I normally run a dog or two through the field just before its cut. But due to the fact that some of these fawns are just being born, they dont have the where with all to make an exit stage left, so to speak. We found 3 lots yesterday morning, all appeared to have been born overnight.

 

I think you are right, its worth moving those that wont just sit tight, as its a better option than the fate in the cutter.

[shootlodge 146]

^{We have had the same problem , when doing the silage etc literally cutting & maiming dozens of fawns a year , We had to get a plan !}

 

^{Walk as many dogs as you can through the fields before you start , or have a ride through on the quads .. The does etc will stand & run , they will leave the very young fawns but mark them , so when moving them use the cut grass underneath them as so not to disturb the scent placing them on the outer edges, hight up & the mother will return to wander to safer areas , within a hours, as said above cut from the centre outwards , as the deer have built in ''stay as long as safe '' programmed in, so only run if nessacary & go to the outer edges.}

 

^{We also dug mineral pits with copper etc ( same as sheep extra lick) into the estates wooded grounds , relatively close to rough bramble , heathery type areas as to draw them in there & hopefully use the cover for birth, this has worked also.}

 

^{You can only do so much keep a dispatch rifle, for any that are caught or trimmed.}

[Yokel Matt 918]

I've asked some farmers several years running about walking the fields just before silaging and always been told 'yep - we'll be doing it on 'Wednesday this week'... I'll turn up Wednesday to find it cut! Same with hedge cutting when i'm planning to stalk does... best intentions and planning don't always mix with a farmers intinery!

 

Moving them to the nearest side / hedgerow is probably the best but whos to know? less certain than getting chopped up.

[beast 1,884]

some good answers here, i would just add that as long as you keep handling to a minimum (hold the kids at arms length, wear gloves etc dont hug them to your body) your scent is unlikely to put the does off returning to them; they will normally give them e real good sniffing and a thorough licking then carry on as normal