Red deer in English suburbs: not an Urban Myth

As some red deer as well as fallow deer adapt to living amongst us in urban areas – can we too adapt to accommodate some of our largest terrestrial mammals living on our doorstep? Some 40 years ago, when I began to undertake research into the behaviour and ecology of Britain’s deer, residents in the…

Velvet Stags and Spotted Calves

The Red deer Year: July Velvet Stags and Spotted Calves. In July wild red deer stags are at their most tolerant of each other. Many will join all-male bachelor groups, commonly 5 to 15 strong, though occasionally – as in the video clip below – much larger aggregations may be seen. Meanwhile, young red deer…

Bambi: “Look how I’ve grown”

In early June this year during a walk on the edge of Exmoor I was thrilled to stumble across a newly born deer calf lying up concealed among nettles and brambles. Most deer calves hide up quietly on their own for much of the day during the first few weeks of life, and the mother returns…

25 years of Quantock Deer Counts

Last week I was asked to speak to the Quantock Deer Forum on the history and findings of the annual Quantock Red deer count, which I have now been involved with in one way or another for over two decades.  Ever since 1991 this count has been organised on behalf of the Quantock Deer Management…