Roe buck close encounter

[slowworm]

I've just come back from walking my dog, pushing through the trees that are overhanging the path and just entering a field when a handsome Roe buck was just exiting the field and ducking under the overhanging branches....

I'm not sure who was more surprised, but the buck headed back into the field and my Lab obeyed my loud call and didn't follow him. The buck then paused before running across the field and back into the woods fairly close to us.

He looked in fine condition which is hardly surprising as it's the middle of the roe rut but I have a question: I've met a few people who're scared a roe buck would attack them but I've never experienced any aggression at all, even with a dog to heal and in the rutting season. Despite his full antlers the buck seemed terrified of us and just wanted to run off. Has anyone ever had a problem with a row buck?

 

[Harvestman]

I've never seen a roe, but that sounds like a fantastic encounter.

 

[Stevie777]

Plenty of roe Deer around here, At least one Positive since the Ravenscraig Steel works got dismantled. Bumped plenty over the years and never been attacked once.

I was tracking one in the snow just around Christmas. Followed it's tracks which led to a urine patch, noticed the Deer had backtracked so i followed those tracks and got within 5' of the Deer before it jumped up and disappeared into the bushes. I was so intent on looking through the bushes i forgot to look down and very nearly stood on it. To say i got a bit of a fright is a understatement.

It must have lay there and watched me walk by until i doubled back. Extremely well camouflaged in all seasons. I use a Roe Call sometimes just to draw them nearer.

Stand still, they dont have very good eyesight. Well, when i say not very good, i mean they see everything in black and white. So even if you had very bright clothing on, yeah they would see you, but if you stand still they find it hard to know what they are looking at. Unnatural movement and scent is how they detect.

I Doubt very much if a Row Buck would attack you. Just dont slabber yourself in Doe Urine/estrogen and you should be fine.

 

[OldJimbo]

While I've heard of people killed by being gored by deer over the years, that was always where deer were being kept on (venison) farms etc.. and so under unnatural circumstances. But lots of dogs have been injured by does when approaching too close to their fawn. I've never heard of people being hurt that way. Over here, though, plenty of people have approached too close to a moose and calf on a logging roadwhile feeling safe in their vehicle trying to get pictures and had extensive damage to their vehicle as a result. That's because a moose likes open ground to fight when it's calf is threatened so it stays on the open road rather than going into the bush. Approach it then and it goes into nasty mode. I've never had trouble because of backing the vehicle when encountering moose.

 

[Goatboy]

There were two ladies trapped and pinned by a reindeer stag a couple of years back in Scotland on a reservation during breeding season. It kept them pinned for some time.
I also while still working as a forester crossed a fence and found myself between two red stags during the rut. They weren't afraid of me at all and I had to carefully back over the fence as they showed no signs of backing off.
When their danders up with hormones many animals will no longer fear humans. I heard of a beater who was gored against a tree while working a line a while back.
Not just deer, many smaller animals have been known to pop back at humans when sex drive or fear overcomes their usual (and understandable) fear and avoidance of us.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Geoff Dann]

I've just come back from walking my dog, pushing through the trees that are overhanging the path and just entering a field when a handsome Roe buck was just exiting the field and ducking under the overhanging branches....

I'm not sure who was more surprised, but the buck headed back into the field and my Lab obeyed my loud call and didn't follow him. The buck then paused before running across the field and back into the woods fairly close to us.

He looked in fine condition which is hardly surprising as it's the middle of the roe rut but I have a question: I've met a few people who're scared a roe buck would attack them but I've never experienced any aggression at all, even with a dog to heal and in the rutting season. Despite his full antlers the buck seemed terrified of us and just wanted to run off. Has anyone ever had a problem with a row buck?

I see them very regularly and no, they are of no danger to humans whatsoever. Well...apart from on the roads, where they can be a real menace. Not big enough to be a threat to an adult human but plenty big enough to put a large dent in your car.

 

[British Red]

I must have encountered between thirty and fifty Roe a day at one point. In hundreds of encounters I have never had one more than stare at me. If I moved forward they ran.

Other larger deer, especially stags in rut, can stand their ground more, but never been even remotely challenged by a Roe.

 

[Tank]

I had the pleasure of watching a Roe buck the other week for about 20 mins. I managed to follow him around the woods for a bit before a dog walker scared him off. Was great watching him go about his business. Never had any issues with them and I dont know of anyone who has

 

[slowworm]

Thanks for the replies. I often see them and quite often see bucks around, but at 20m+ rather than nose to nose.

I Doubt very much if a Row Buck would attack you. Just dont slabber yourself in Doe Urine/estrogen and you should be fine.

Funny you should mention that, I think that's where some of the concerns come from. It was a woman who mentioned it, would there be risk if a woman had high Oestrogen levels and encountered a rutting buck?

 

[OldJimbo]

I've never heard of any problems due to hormones, but I don't know.

One thing that does occur to me is that if you raise and wave your arms to shoo off the deer, that might cause problems.
There was a young researcher studying moose who would initiate a charge by bull moose in rut, by raising and waving her arms. Then as arms were lowered the charge stopped. I'd love to find a digital copy of that documentary. One day of course the charge didn't stop, unfortunately..

 

[DDODK]

Unless she's got the same exact hormones as the doe, there is no trouble.. Even if you drenched yourself in urine/estrogen it is highly unlikely they would get aggresive. (Or loving )

 

[Goatboy]

Unless she's got the same exact hormones as the doe, there is no trouble.. Even if you drenched yourself in urine/estrowgen it is highly unlikely they would get aggresive. (Or loving )

Oh I don't know, there are some chemical crossovers. A couple of years back I was 'round at a friends with my dog and they had another friend with their dog there. The two of them decided not to get on and the aggresion was pretty palpable. None of the three human females in the room could smell it but all three human males could pick up on the smell off aggression from the two male dogs. Don't know it it was testosterone or adrenaline but the three of us could smell it and feel a slight change. Plus look at how human estrogen from birth control is affecting anphibian life due to getting into the waterways.



Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.