An exploration of Roe Deer on my patch.

 Roe Deer have become one of the regular mammals on my patch and one of the most endearing. The data thus far collected illustrate a pattern that reflects the general  national increase in deer numbers over the past 10 years.

My patch has been consistently monitored since 2008 and has been under Trail Camera observation since 2014 it is with some confidence then that there were little to no Roe Deer using the site up until their first appearance in 2017.

The Saxon Mill region is good Roe Deer habitat with a mixture of farmland, rough grassland and ephemeral shrub and wet woodland. Quiet stretches of habitat run along the riverbank from Rock Mill northwards and intersects with a railway line that offers excellent connectivity throughout the area. The railway in particular is of great value to dispersing deer and was the primary route for a Roe Deer doe being spotted in Warwick Town Centre in Priory Park in 2023.

Roe Deer Abundance

The index shown above shows how numbers have increased steadily over the years with the greatest increase in abundance occurring  between 2020 and 2022. Otter Cam, a second trail cam set up in 2021 whilst designed to monitor Otter populations actually covered a well liked rest spot for Roe Deer.

This increase in abundance from 2020 reflects an increase in productivity.

Roe Deer Productivity

Relative abundance increased as a direct result of consistent breeding from 2021 which included a set of twins born in both 2022 and 2023. 

Year	Number of kids born	Date Kid first seen (Week Number)	Relative Abundance Index
			Main Cam	Otter Cam	Visual
2018	0	-	0.0001	-	0.11
2019	1	1st April (Week 14)	0.0000	-	0.05
2020	0	-	0.0004	-	0.00
2021	1	24th May (Week 21)	0.0001	0.93	0.14
2022	2	17th July (Week 28)	0.0004	1.71	0.47
2023	2	3rd July (Week 27)	0.0015	2.07	0.76
2024	1	10th June (Week 26)	-	1.71*	-

* to date

This years doe with fawn

Originally sightings were of a lone female doe or buck moving through the site. Numbers increased from 2019 when they became a breeding pair. 

The best observations were made during 2022 and 2023 when the resident doe and her young became quite acclimatised to my presence and allowed some useful behavioural observations to be made.

Identifying individuals can be quite hard to do from year to year however this year one can identify a number of individuals.

Breeding Doe - This years breeding doe seems smaller than the one seen in 2022 and 2023, it is possible she is one of the four daughters she had in that time or a new individual.

Dominant Buck - Impressive Buck with large antlers this year with 3 tines., one of which is more spatulate. Often seen following the Doe

3 tines Buck

Sub-Dominant Buck - Smaller in stature and size, more flighty and less assured as the Dominant. Has antlers with just 2 smaller tines.

Young Buck - This individual is seen less often, always solitary. Has just a single short tine to his antlers.