Hi everyone, :wave:
As a Forester at an estate in Hertfordshire that has a large fallow deer population, I though that I would throw in my two cents on the topic of deer control. Like many estates around the country, the estate used to keep a managed herd of both native red deer and naturalised fallow in a large fenced portion of the estate known as a 'deer park', which allowed both the numbers and health of the deer to be carefully managed and controlled. However, like many large country estates it changed ownership a number of times during the 20th century, with the new owners at one stage seeing fit to dismantle the iron deer park fencing to sell it for scrap value, resulting in the deer herd escaping into the surrounding woodlands and multiplying beyond effective control.
This means that we now have a large wild herd in excess of 1,000 Fallow deer, which browse off ground level woodland flora, and also cause damage to crops on surrounding tenant farmland. As a result, much of the woodland on the estate has a poor habitat structure, with few emerging young trees or woodland plants that guarantee the woodland's future and provide food and shelter for birds and smaller mammals. We also have a serious problem with deer road casualties, with myself and other members of the estate management team frequently having to go out and dispatch and remove deer that have been struck by cars on roads surrounding the estate. The other week we were called out to such an instance to find another driver cramming the large Fallow buck that had been hit into the back of a Ford Ka (not the largest vehicle in the world), presumeably to take home for dinner! For anyone contemplating eating venision road kill, be aware of the fact that whilst the impact tenderises the meat, it also frequently ruptures the deers stomach, flushing the stomach acids into the meat and making it taste foul if the carcass isnt washed out (nasty!).
Although we have a really good contact deer stalker on the estate, he is only one man, and so can only relaistically achieve a certain level of control. Culling has also been disrupted in the past by the generally poor level of awareness (and in some cases ignorance) displayed by the general population surrounding deer control. Comments shouted at the deerstalker in the past include "You can't shoot deer in this country with guns its illegal", whilst he and other members of staff on the estate have also been verbally and in some cases physically threatened by people opposed to deer control. That being said, most people are pretty good once things have been explained to them: they realise that we are only seeking to control the deer population so as to achieve a working balance, not eradicate it. However, this shows the need for better education to be delivered by government agencies such as DEFRA and the Forestry Commission surrounding the problems posed by deer, and reasons for their control. :biggthump
P.S. I say reintroduce wolves they're cool
, so they do it the easiest way they can.
Doc 
