Looking at deer sun. morning on stubble/set aside in Soms./Wilts. border and saw four out of four does with twins at foot.
Evidently the weather has conspired to produce another high kidding % this year. With animals food and weather ideal again the Roe explosion is set to continue in sw England.
Are others aware of particularly high twinning rates this year?
This particular farm also gave up its dairy cows last summer so the silage death toll has been eliminated which has made a considerable difference.

Is it normal for them to have twins, or just in very good years? Does the silage kill the deer? Or harvest paractice?

These little guys interest me. I see them as our whitetail deer's little cousin.

Normally, a pregnant Roedoe carries 2 foetus but both only develop to maturity with a healthy adult mother (2-3 years old). Quality of available food, absence of stress and population level also play a regulating role. As typical in my overpopulated hunting lease, a very strong doe I shot in March weighted 19 kg dressed and carried this solitary foetus :

Oh, so that's where cell phones come from!

Sorry, my sarcasm is stronger tha my will.

Is 19kg a normal size female? What do the bucks weigh?

I would like to hunt these someday. What are the rules about foreigners hunting in the UK? Can a Roe Deer hunt be taken at the same time as a Scottish Stag? If I am going to come all that way, I want to shoot a few things.

Wendel,

If you came in August you could take Red Stags in Scotland and Roe as well.

Then you could come down further south and hunt Fallow, Muntjac and Chinese water deer (IF you find somewhere with a population of the latter)

All will be in hard horn apart from some of the better Fallow bucks that may be in velvet at the start of the month.

I suppose you could throw Sika into the equation too if you are in the right place!!


Come in September and there will be some partridge shooting to be had too!!

FB

Ok, what would you consider the prime time to hunt the UK. Given a general bag of animals.

Stag, of course and any one of the other you mentioned. How can a guy do this in an affordable manner?

Wendell,

I'm working in Brussels for the next couple of days but if you send me a PM to remind be I'll call the stalker we use in Scotland and find out what he is charging when I get back.

Last year for about £750 you could get a Stag and a couple of Roe Bucks, and your accomodation for 4 days. Then you have travel costs. If you are inthe UK anyway then it is just an internal and car hire. I think it breaks down as £350 for a stag and £120 per Roe Buck. The rets is accomodation.

For accomodation we use a small cottage accross the road from the stalkers house, which is a flat rate depending on the season. Very cosy and perfect location. Alternatively there is a B+B up the road.

If you want to pay more, You can also get a day on the grouse walked up if you like, or have a days fishing. Bob will happily take ou out lamping for the evening if you like (and ask him), which might be a new experience for you. The lamping is free of course, (or perhaps you can get him a dram....)

Trophy heads will be more expensive and are never guarenteed. If you are looking for the experience mainly, then anything you shoot will be worth taking.

Last time I went up he had a murder buck on his patch that he asked me to go out and shoot for him free of charge. The buck never turned up!!! Typical....

My freind went up today (or Tomorrow???) bbut I couldn't go this year as I planned other sporting holidays.

Next year perhaps!

Regards,
FB

Wendell,

On some land I have stalked on in Scotland, 11kg would be an avarage for a mature doe. while typical mature bucks would might range from 12kg to 14kg..Thats after the gralloch with the head and feet off, but skin on..

In southern England, where the feed and weather is better, I would imagine you could easily add a 2kg or 3kg to that...

For more info on British deer,the law and stalking in general, take a look at:

http://www.deer-uk.com

If your coming over to Scotland for Red stag at the end of September/early October,season wise, you could also take Roe, Sika, Fallow and Feral Goat..There are not too many Fallow in Scotland, but there are a few places that stalk them; same goes for Wild Goat..Roe are very widespread and should not be a problem and Sika are numerous but sometimes localised...

You don't have any tags or draws to worry about so really its down to time, orangisation/travel and of course, money!

Regards,

Pete

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:
Bob will happily take ou out lamping for the evening if you like (and ask him), which might be a new experience for you.

If "lamping" is like our spotlighting, I am no stranger to it! Loads of fun.

PM sent.