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Deer stalking

Rutting Fallow bucks in West Sussex
Fallow deer rutting in Sussex

The elegant yet extremely social fallow deer with its signature speckled coat and robust palmate antlers. Introduced into Britain by the Normans over 1,000 years ago, fallow deer have successfully lived within our British woodlands for centuries. 

Fallow deer being the sole species living wild in the UK who grow palmate antlers. This makes them distinctive from all their counterpart species, who have standard spiked rack and tines.

Latin name: Dama dama, exist in four colour variations which are all found in the same hunting area: common, menial, black and white. White fallows are extremely visible, ensure easy markers within the fallow deer’s ranges, however, will alert the watchful eyes of poachers being more visible than the natural speckled camouflage of its siblings.

Referred to for being the “countryside vandals” because of the amount of browsing damage fallow cause in areas, shared with other native species. Since fallow deer are much larger than other deer species in the UK, fallow deer eat more vegetation, known for eating arable crops, plantations, including woodland ground cover.

Fallow deer cause extreme damage due to the fact they travel in large family herds overgrazing specific areas in a brief time before moving. Landing themselves in hot water with farmers and foresters alike, leading to unsustainable culling in localised areas. Fallow deer learn quickly, rapidly become elusive. Therefore, a structured methodical approach should always apply, when culling herds of fallow deer, the steady approach to fallow deer cull management works best, otherwise fallow deer will associate daylight hours with danger time!

Rutting Fallow bucks in West Sussex
Fallow deer rutting in Sussex

Deer stalking 2023/24

Fallow deer stalking: Profile

Duration
1 Days 2 stalks
price
GBP £200
Quarry
Fallow Deer
Country
Lavant, Sussex
group size
1 to 1
Destination
Sussex, UK
Fallow Doe's
1st Nov- 31st Mar
accomodation
B&B
Food & Drink
Pubs & restaurant
Fallow Bucks
1st Aug - 30th Apr

Deer stalking: prices.

  • Hunter, each stalk: Fees are: £100 per stalk.
  • High seat only: available at £85 per outing.
  • Mature non medal bucks, £350 carcass included.
  • Wounded and lost beasts will be charged for as if shot!
  • Carcass price: Prickets, sorrels and "meat animals Doe's" £100.00 per beast.
  • Observer Price: £20 per stalk.
  • Ammunition: £4 per shot
  • Gun Hire, Tikka, 308, bolt action: £30 for 1 days
  • Quarry: fallow deer, Bucks & Doe's
  • Accommodation: £45 B&B or £90 hotel.
  • Places available 1 – 2
  • Lavant, West Sussex, United Kingdom
  • Map it

Deer Stalking: Overview

Fallow deer have no UK natural predators. Resulting in, populations of fallow deer reaching extreme levels. Stated that fallow numbers now are higher than at any point in the past 1,000 years – causing a potentially negative impact on the environment where fallow deer herds live. Over-grazing prevents re-generation of woodlands, having a knock-on effect on other native species. Fallow also flatten large areas of crops when couching (sleeping).

Resulting population culls are needed to stop the spread of fallow herds and reduce agricultural and forestry damage. 

Signs and spotting tips

Groups of fallow deer herds are regularly spotted in woodland glades and on parklands. Whilst seen or through the day, the best time to stalk fallow deer is at dusk or dawn, when they are most active.

During the mating season, listen out for the powerful groans of bucks – a sure sign that fallow deer are in the vicinity. Also, keep an eye out on well-known tracks for any fallow-deer slots, fallow leave large, long slots in soft ground.

Fallow deer when breeding

Wild fallow deer live in small family herds, compared to park fallow that gather in larger groups of up to seventy strong. Outside of the rut, which takes place throughout October, fallow bucks form detached herds separately from does (female deer) and juvenile fallow.

Fallow bucks’ physique changes during rutting time due to the massive spike in testosterone amongst bucks. Fallow predominantly use the same rutting stands (territories) year on year. Bucks will hold multiple does during the rut, however, live separated for 90% of the year. As do the does, excluding late spring when mass birthing. Bucks and does live separately as a rule. Giving fallow an annual fecundity of 0.9. incapable of hybridization compared to other species like reds or sika.

During the mating season, bucks establish and maintain ‘rutting stands’ – territories bucks set out by urinating and marking soil with their hooves and antlers. Bucks will thrash foliage with their antlers and call loudly, showing off his prowess, attracting females for potential mating. Bucks fight with ferocity defending groups of does, bucks herd does into their territory, fierce battles will ensue, using their antlers to charge down rival males.

With a gestation period of approximately 230 days for adult does, birthing a single fawn in June and July. Fallows can breed annually.

Bucks’ classification, mature from yearlings, pricket, sorel, sore, bare buck and “master buck”, relate to antler development which does not always accurately reflect a bucks age. Six- to seven-year-old bucks generally become a “master buck”. Mature bucks weigh in the region of 80 to 100kg with good habitat and ample food source, mature does weighs less at 35 to 50kg.

Life expectancy being naturally a decade to 16 years. Fallow offer a high yield of venison meat per animal thanks to their size, however meet harvest from mature bucks in rut with testosterone pumping through the meat is not a desired meat animal. Large fallow bucks are extremely difficult to manoeuvre for suitable field extraction with a vehicle.

Fallow doe's deerstalking in Sussex
Fallow Doe's feeding under tree in autumn

What's Included

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What's NOT Included

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  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.

Itinerary

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  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec
  • Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus. Eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo velrci phasellus
  • Et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing.
  • Vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas. Lacus sed viverra tellus in hac.
  • Commodo odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique. Ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec

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Deer stalking 2023/24
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