FB,

I would be interested to know where you read that about Roe as it goes against much of what I have read on them.

The roe doe "controls" the rut in that either the bucks go to her or she will go out after bucks and bring them back to her home area. This is the opposite of say Fallow or Red where you get a master buck or stag trying to hold a parcel of does/hinds while trying to see off challengers.

The doe cull in Roe is just like any other doe cull in that its method of controlling the local population...Most folks are not too selective about their doe cull in that its a numbers game and usually any mature doe fits in the plan when the numbers are needed. If you need to reduce numbers on the ground, cull the does heavily; if you want to increase the population, cull lightly. If you cull yearling does or doe fawns, they are not lighly to be carrying, but on good ground for every mature doe you cull you are probably reducing next years population by a factor of 3. That of course does not take into account certain other factors, but you get the idea of how a population can be manipulated..

With regards bucks, its a bit more complicated especially as you may loose a number of yearlings each year due to migration when mum kicks them out and they have to look for their own territory.

Traditionally antler growth is used as a yard stick to manage the bucks or stags of other deer species but this does not work to the same degree with Roe. This is because the peak period of antler growth is during the winter and is therefore influenced heavily by the availablity of food and the weather rather than genetics. It is quite possible to have a young roe produce a 6 point head and then produce rubbish heads for the next couple of years if the following winters are particularly bad.

Regards,

Pete

I think the roe doe season is my favourite. Leaves off the trees, a nip in the air and the chance to get body and barrel well and truly dirty. Crawling through ditches to get a left, right and left again on doe and fawns is the nearest I can get to Highland stalking and has the benefit that I can do it on my own and recover the carcasses.

What is really rewarding is when you read the deer right and connect because of that. I have come to the conclusion that equipment can be pleasurable but other than that I need an accurate(ish) rifle and a good pair of bino's, success comes from having land with deer on it, knowing what the animals will do, putting time in, knowing how to crawl or put a tree between you and the deer in the field too far away and shooting straight enough (note not perfectly!)

Anyone else enjoying the doe season?

I too enjoy stalking does, but it is very seldom that I shoot one. Occasionally I will take a calf, but I generally try to shoot buck - and as far as is possible I try and find the older guys. I have passed up many many opportunities to shoot young buck, does & kids - reason? My theory is that I can shoot as many buck as I like...within reason of course, but even if I was so hunt/kill driven so as to shoot out all of the buck in our hunting area - my thinking is that the prescence of females will draw in more buck. Less does = less reason for the buck to come to the area & less reason again for them to stay in the area. More does = more buck, and I cant say that I have noticed a big difference in the quality of the meat...theres just that much more on a buck.

Hi Pete,

I was browsing a book at a mates house a few months ago on this subject. I may well be mistaken as like I say I don't have a great exposure to Roe so my knowledge is lacking somewhat. I'll have a look for it when I next go there and let you know what it says.

FB

BTW, who read about the proposal to shoot a third of the South East UK deer population in the papers on Sunday? Insane huh... especially since they are goingto end up paying people to do it!!!


Actualy that's not enough! 30% keeps the population about level. In many areas you wouldn't go far wrong in shooting every deer you saw that was safe and in season. IMHO stalkers are doing themselves a disservice by often not shooting enough - God forbid an English Deer Commission!

Hi Raindeer,
Sounds good, and I will look forward to it - I met a guy here in Sweden who I spoke to briefly about something similar, but it was before my interest in hunting here had gone beyond shooting whatever I saw. Now I have a share in a hunting area and so obviously the interest has increased.