Muntjac & Roe bucks

[Roemer]

I realise there will be many variables but how long would you guys think it would take for a munty or roe buck to be replaced? I have some ground with only a handful of muntjac and roe. I don't want to run the risk of taking the bucks and then they don't get replaced and the does wander off. I want to keep a balance.

[Walker570]

Only take a yearling buck if you know you have a master buck in the area and the coverage is thin.  Locally to me we have had a showing of roe for many years but every time one sticks it's head out some P R A T goes and shoots it, so we do not get a number of family groups building up.  I'm no expert but that is my approach. Don't just flatten it because it is there. 

[Roemer]

6 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Only take a yearling buck if you know you have a master buck in the area and the coverage is thin.  Locally to me we have had a showing of roe for many years but every time one sticks it's head out some P R A T goes and shoots it, so we do not get a number of family groups building up.  I'm no expert but that is my approach. Don't just flatten it because it is there. 

Thanks for the reply. The loss of groups is my concern so your comment is appreciated 

[Walker570]

I go back to when the first roe bucks where transported and released into South Warwickshire near Studley and they have steadily spread up north from there but with some difficulty. There is a good covering across to Stratford on Avon and Warwick and I am pleased to say showing more often further north.   There are plenty of munties so shoot what you need for the freezer.  I stalked ground down near Alcester back in the early 80s and the area was thick with them back then.

[Mickeydredd]

I think it all depends on population levels on your land and importantly the surrounding areas.

[Roemer]

On 28/05/2021 at 17:53, Walker570 said:

I go back to when the first roe bucks where transported and released into South Warwickshire near Studley and they have steadily spread up north from there but with some difficulty. There is a good covering across to Stratford on Avon and Warwick and I am pleased to say showing more often further north.   There are plenty of munties so shoot what you need for the freezer.  I stalked ground down near Alcester back in the early 80s and the area was thick with them back then.

Wow, my family comes from Studley. I lived on mount pleasant and my nan used to live in oversley bank. A very small world for sure.

Guys, thank you for the feedback 

[Walker570]

I believe the first roe where brought to the estate east of Studley in 1983/84. I was led to believe they where moved up from Wiltshire.  I had a small shoot below Studley Castle, just a couple of woods and a few fields but the roe and munties soon found refuge there. That was 1984/85. Only ever shot one roe buck, in fact a German friend shot it, that was around '88/89. 

[243deer]

It does not seem to matter how many munties I shoot, male and female they just keep coming so as Nev says fill your freezer with munties, you will not run out.

On one of my permissions, 170 acres, we do a doe count in September and usually set the cull at 50% assuming we see a normal year of recruitment, this keeps the population stable. If we do not quite get the cull by the end of January then so be it we adjust at the next count. We have a very decent buck who produces 'gangsters', heavy bodied youngsters who survive well. We only take murder bucks, old bucks going back and maybe a youngster or two every year if there is an excess of bucks, rarely more than 2 bucks a year average and some years none at all.

If you take a drive around your area at dawn and dusk you will quickly get an idea of the general deer population remembering that it is always higher than those we see.

[Walker570]

Yes, I remember when we did a count on fallow on a big estate back in the early 80s. It was said to multiply what we saw by four to have some idea. Not perfect by any means but it did seem to give a good idea of what was on the patch.   With roe being more or less resident and not wandering like fallow it is a lot easier.