The Roe Deer of Grovely Wood

Over the last two weeks, I have been lucky enough to come across two families of Roe deer!

By the looks, there are two mothers with two young each and one father (after research, it seems the males have "harems").

For those of you who may be looking to capture wild deer, here are some tips I have picked up from conventions, fieldcraft, and research online.

1 - Understand how they think - like any other animal, understanding how they think or react is going to really help if you wish to capture them.

Roe deer are in the middle of the food chain, therefore they are killed by humans (to control their numbers, and of course, used as food).

Therefore, for good reason, they are going to be scared or worried if they see or hear you and are very likely to run.

Some tips for making it less likely are to move as little as possible. The deer will understand you are there, but not be 100% sure what you are... and will look at you for a bit, trying to work out: Are you going to kill me?

Understand which way the wind is blowing; your smell (as a human) should, if possible, be blowing away from them.

2 - Understand where and why you are going to see them.

"Roe deer live in areas of mixed countryside that include woodland, farmland, grassland, and heathland. They eat buds and leaves from trees and shrubs, as well as ferns, grasses, and heathers."

Quote from Wild Life Trusts

So, with this understanding, ask yourself where they could be looking to sleep or eat near you.

3 - Build a habit and be patient

Like most wildlife, they build a habit of where they go when they are most active at each end of the day.

So first thing, I have personally found them sleeping in farmland or, as seen in this video, seem to be having a level of meeting up as a family.

As a final point, ALWAYS respect and think before you act!

Yes, we all want to be able to capture them, but they are wild animals, so if we can, try not to create any more stress for them.

#wildlife #wildlifevideo #wildlifevideography