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Roe, s. [ra deor, Sax.] a species of deer. It is the smallest of the deer kind know in our climate, and is almost extinct except in some parts of the Highlands of Scotland.

This is the listing for roe deer in a copy of a 'Complete and Universal English Dictionary', that my sister gave me many years ago. A big old raggedy dictionary that was printed and published by Richard Edwards of Fleet Street, London, and dates 1815. It's an original. I turn the pages often either looking up something specific, like roe deer, or just random reading. 1815! A two hundred year old dictionary! Tell that to Dr Google!

I looked up roe deer this morning as I was out in the concession last night and my son and I spotted over 20 roe buck, does and young. Hardly extinct nowadays.

There were a number of large bucks and old bucks around, one in particular got my attention - carrying a long curved left antler / horn. Perhaps I will see him again early May, when the roe deer season opens. Perhaps!

All the years we were in Africa, I eagerly texted and mailed German hunting friends to see whether they were out on May 1, opening day, and whether they had "Waidmannsheil". This year, having retired back to Germany, I am here for May 1st. It's a Friday and a public holiday!

Three weeks to go!




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BDS did a member survey a few years ago and found that roe were present in every one kilometre OS grid square in the whole of the UK.

I don't believe that in fact but in principle it's correct - I have seen roe only a mile south of John O'Groats.

Oddly they still seem very scarce in many areas of southern England.

"Roe, s. [ra deor, Sax.] a species of deer. It is the smallest of the deer kind know in our climate, and is almost extinct except in some parts of the Highlands of Scotland."

King Gustav III of Sweden (dead 1792) made a state coup wich took rights from the noble men and gave them to the lower casts and to the king himself. Because of that he was shot by one of the noble mens.
He gave the ordinary people the right to hunt wich they used to kill most of the deer population, roe deer was only saved in a couple of estates in Skåne. Earlyer in 1600s roe deers were living as high as the county Dalarna, that time it was a duty for people to participate in carnivor(bear,wolf) hunting to make it possible to keep live stock.

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Couple of new / extra stands up in the concession overlooking hedgerows and tree lines!

Roe deer season opens in 10 days! The excitement grows!


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Hi Charlie 64
In England, Roe bucks' shooting season starts on April 1st