Roe deer droppings?

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

KAE1

Settler
Mar 26, 2007
579
1
55
suffolk
I'd say yes to roe droppings, owl pellets and no not summer barking. Deer barking takes two forms (1) Fraying when bucks use 1 - 2 inch poles to rub off their itchy velvet, or in the rut when getting territorially aggressive,this leaves straggling bits of bark hanging off (2) when deer remove bark with their teeth (lower incissors only) you can usually see the groove between the teeth.Rabbit barking resembles little chips as if done by a small chisel.
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Thats great I will have to get to the owl scat and break it apart and have a look!! Forgot my knife today! :eek: I have seen owl pellets b4 but they were alot smaller than this (it was broken up remember.) I thought that deer can peel bark without marking the tree? Got to say I wasnt convinced it was this but it was on a deer trail. Thanks Dave.
Ps Do Roe tend to dig up moss for feeding or only to make a sleeping patch?
 

scanker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 15, 2005
2,326
24
52
Cardiff, South Wales
Well I'm nowhere near an expert, probably barely even nudging enthusiastic amateur, but I think the first photo looks like sheep droppings to me. I'm happy to be corrected though.
 

Rod

On a new journey
Having done a bit of checking I reckon the droppings are fallow deer (picture 1 - the tape measure was a big help. Fallow are usually 10-15mm long ; Roe deer are 10-14mm long.

What species of deer normally inhabit the area that you are tracking in?

Picture 2 look very much like sheep
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Yes I thought that about sheep but there are sheep fairly close by but they are in a pretty secure inclosure and I really think they would struggle to get to the spot I found the droppings?!?!? So I ruled out sheep. I thought (IIRC) that Roe can produce droppings like this that are 'solid' which I imagined to be like the sheep droppings that look like this.
Skanker I believe the tell tale signs for deer over sheep is the point on them which I common in herbevores (diff for sheep I believe?!?)
Anyway most of this info is from a book and posts that people have been kind enough to reply to.....please if I am wrong dont :AR15firin me
I do now try to do scale photos with a tape as its better to get the exact size.
Ta Dave
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE