Munjac deer in the garden

[jojo]

We saw a Munjac deer in our garden yesterday afternoon. He/she crossed the top of the garden and went through a hole in the hedge, across the lane and into the fields.

I had noticed some bark had been gnawed off the base of a tree growing there in the morning, so the beastie must have been around for a while, there are trees and bushes in next door's garden, enough I think to hide a Munjac.

Are they territorial, in which case we'll perhaps have a chance to see it again? And when do they give birth, because I thought when it was trotting off that it looked rather "wide beam"

 

[andyn]

Wow, that must have been a fun sight. No idea how rural or urban you are but deer are apparently becoming far more happy in more slightly more urban areas as the amount of suitable woodland etc is dissapearing. I seem to remember hearing that there is a small town up in Scotland where there are a small family of deer living in a church yard.

As for birthing (is that the right word?) season I know that Roe deer tend to give birth round about May/June time. I was lucky enough to see a fairly new born fawn feeding from its mother in the woods mid June last year and it was one of those moments I doubt I'll forget in a hurry.

But I think that with Muntjacs they actually breed all year round.

 

[Snufkin]

Munties are pretty tolerant of people. It's suprising, though how little cover it takes for even Reds to vanish into.

 

[torjusg]

That may be illegal, but given their size, they must be excellent for snaring?

 

[jojo]

We live by a main road a the top end of the garden, but on 3 sides we're lucky to have fields. (not for much longer I fear as there are plan to put a large b*******y estate all around here so it would have plenty of space including thick cover of brambles and trees on one side. Perhaps the deer likes our small ponds for drinking?I think it's the only one round our area.

 

[jojo]

That may be illegal, but given their size, they must be excellent for snaring?

Quite possibly, but as we are in a urban area and its the first one I have ever seen here since 1997, I would not want to do that anyway. Besides, the rest of the family would put me in the freezer before I had a chance

 

[Hunter_zero]

We live by a main road a the top end of the garden, but on 3 sides we're lucky to have fields. (not for much longer I fear as there are plan to put a large b*******y estate all around here so it would have plenty of space including thick cover of brambles and trees on one side. Perhaps the deer likes our small ponds for drinking?I think it's the only one round our area.

Deer don't really drink all that much as they get most of their liquid needs from vegetation. The wide girth on the deer you spotted would suggest a Doe. Muntjac have no real breeding season, they breed all year round and with the mild winters we have had of late the deer population is booming. If you want to see more, then you could go and buy a mineral lick from your nearest farm supply or you could go to one of the roadside salt bins, fill a bag full of road grit / salt and bury the salt in your garden.

John

 

[spamel]

I can't remember if it is roe or muntjac, but one of the species is born with no smell whatsoever, and they cannot be detected even by dogs! They also lie in wait for their parents return from grazing and make absolutely no noise at all.

 

[KAE1]

Wow, that must have been a fun sight. No idea how rural or urban you are but deer are apparently becoming far more happy in more slightly more urban areas as the amount of suitable woodland etc is dissapearing. I seem to remember hearing that there is a small town up in Scotland where there are a small family of deer living in a church yard.

As for birthing (is that the right word?) season I know that Roe deer tend to give birth round about May/June time. I was lucky enough to see a fairly new born fawn feeding from its mother in the woods mid June last year and it was one of those moments I doubt I'll forget in a hurry.

But I think that with Muntjacs they actually breed all year round.

Absolutely right, munty does breed all year round, giving birth every 7 (i think) months. This is why they have no close season. it is more humane to cull heavily pregnant females - that way you know the young are independant.

 

[Ben_Hillwalker]

Also, they are territorial. The males make a sort of bark-like call, often during the night, which has scared the bejeezus out of me on more than one occasion.