Red Deer Bellow

Deerspotter

Many years ago, my father, since deceased, took me out for a picnic in Wicklow.
It was October and the idea was to hear the Red Stags bellow and maybe even see them.
It was amazing and a life long memory.
Last October I attempted to bring my own child out for such a picnic, although I couldn't remember where my father took me. I know it was somewhere beyond Glen Malure.
Anyway, all we heard were Sika Stags whistling and we only saw small Sika Stags. I'd love to have the opportunity to see and hear these amazing animals in action this year when the rut starts. Does anybody know where I might go around Wicklow to hear or see the Reds in action? My child is young, so somewhere I can drive to without too much walking? There seems to be a great amount of knowledge up on this forum, I am very happy to have stumbled across it. I am also delighted to see that country sports are alive and well and also still being done by gentlemen.

Trojan911

Deerspotter wrote: »

Does anybody know where I might go around Wicklow to hear or see the Reds in action? My child is young, so somewhere I can drive to without too much walking? There seems to be a great amount of knowledge up on this forum, I am very happy to have stumbled across it. I am also delighted to see that country sports are alive and well and also still being done by gentlemen.

Can't answer your question as I am not from the area. I shoot Cork & Kerry for deer, however, scroll down here until you see "Wicklow". It gives some history of Red Deer in the area you mention and mentions some areas you might want to explore.

All the best with your deer spotting.

jwshooter

i have shot in glenmalure for the last 10 years or more reds are a thing of the past there .you have no chance of there any more .
oct on the hill in wicklow is the hight of the rut and for you to be on the hill looking for deer is not a good plan unless you have permission.
try glendalough, and walk from there might be your best bet .
there should be a map of the national park in the visitors centre.
your most lightly only to see red like deer as hybridization has accrued
but they sound red like and are none the less beautiful

kakashka

Deerspotter wrote: »

Many years ago, my father, since deceased, took me out for a picnic in Wicklow.
It was October and the idea was to hear the Red Stags bellow and maybe even see them.
It was amazing and a life long memory.
Last October I attempted to bring my own child out for such a picnic, although I couldn't remember where my father took me. I know it was somewhere beyond Glen Malure.
Anyway, all we heard were Sika Stags whistling and we only saw small Sika Stags. I'd love to have the opportunity to see and hear these amazing animals in action this year when the rut starts. Does anybody know where I might go around Wicklow to hear or see the Reds in action? My child is young, so somewhere I can drive to without too much walking? There seems to be a great amount of knowledge up on this forum, I am very happy to have stumbled across it. I am also delighted to see that country sports are alive and well and also still being done by gentlemen.

PM me closer to rutting time,vocals no problem.

Deerspotter

jwshooter wrote: »

i have shot in glenmalure for the last 10 years or more reds are a thing of the past there .you have no chance of there any more .
oct on the hill in wicklow is the hight of the rut and for you to be on the hill looking for deer is not a good plan unless you have permission.
try glendalough, and walk from there might be your best bet .
there should be a map of the national park in the visitors centre.
your most lightly only to see red like deer as hybridization has accrued
but they sound red like and are none the less beautiful

Hello, and thank you all for the info. Last year before I went in to the woods, I checked with Coilte about entering forest land and they told me that people are only allowed shoot from dawn till 11:00 and that they must put signage at every entrance to the forest, is this correct?
I'd hate to disturb anyones shooting.

Are there any Reds left in Wicklow or only hybrids?
Would a hybrid stag have as impressive a set of antlers as a red?

When I was out with my Dad many years ago, we saw what he called a 'royal' stag, he said it had six points on each antler. Is this a term that is used and are they as rare he led me to believe?

I thank you all for your information.

kakashka

Signage is correct,open to correction but shooting 1hr after dawn 1hr before dusk is the guide on public land,some nice hubrids around,i'm sure you'll hear almost the same bellow you remember

jwshooter

on coillte ground any thing can happen . air on the side of cation
if in any hunting area on the edge of dark or just after always use a light
i use head torches there very handy .

i was stalking the boundaries of my ground some years ago at the start of the season as i always do ,i will shoot any deer on them as it keeps the farmers happy and the boundary poachers quite.
while walking back to the landrover ,the dog stopped i put the bino up and could see very little in the dark i just walked another few yards when a lad jumped up from the ditch.
rifle at the ready .my words were short and rapid with him .
learned me to always bring a light with me and there is folk not that bright out there.

kakashka

Deerspotter,you wont find what your looking for on Coillte land.

Deerspotter

Just to be clear, I will be in day light with high viz on, having a picnic somewhere that has a vantage point with lots of visability with the hope of maybe hearing a red, or even seeing one.
I would not intend disturbing someones hunting, or being around too early or late in the day with my kid.

I'm getting a sense that reds are less common in Wicklow these days. Is this just to do with hunting? Or are there other reasons?
Like the Sika over-taking the habitat, the way the grey squirls V the red squirls.

jwshooter

there is some pockets of red about in wexford ,wicklow ,tipp, carlow,dublin meath in the east alone.
there is a good heard in kerry and donegal i hunted in donegal last oct

hybridization in wicklow is one factor to the decline on reds or red like animals from the hill ,the biggest factor is quad bikes .

personally i would love to see them banned from all up lands.

Deerspotter

jwshooter wrote: »

there is some pockets of red about in wexford ,wicklow ,tipp, carlow,dublin meath in the east alone.
there is a good heard in kerry and donegal i hunted in donegal last oct

hybridization in wicklow is one factor to the decline on reds or red like animals from the hill ,the biggest factor is quad bikes .

personally i would love to see them banned from all up lands.

What do you mean 'quad bikes' what do they do?

I know about the Reds in Kerry and have seen some in the Killarney national park once. But that is a long old drive from Dublin, just for a picnic

John Griffin

Your best bet is the Wicklow Mountains National Park. The best herd of red-like deer are on Derrybawn mountain, approach from the military road, its the road between Laragh and Glenmalure. There is a forestry entrance beside the old Mountain Lodge B&B on the right. Big white building about a mile from laragh. Follow the track up and out onto the open hill, its a short walk.
Other option is Glenealo valley, following the miners road along the upperlake in Glendalough, go up the zig zags to the top of the waterfall and you will see and hear plenty of deer from there on , they are well used to walkers.
The information office at the upperlake run deer rut walks in October also so give them a buzz 0404-45656.

kakashka

Nice one!!!well done Mr Griffin:mad: .

Vegeta

kakashka wrote: »

Nice one!!!well done Mr Griffin:mad: .

What's with the angry face.

That was a very helpful post

jwshooter

you better camp out there till sunday now griff

foxhunter

Vegeta wrote: »

What's with the angry face.

That was a very helpful post

I believe the Op reckons that griffin has let the cat out of the bag .

Deerspotter

I never thought these beasts would have a price on their heads. Perhaps this thread should be removed?

kakashka

Deerspotter it's not your fault, removal of irresponsible posts by ppl who i would have thought should know better would be a better course of action!!

jwshooter

its not rocket science to fine deer in the wicklow area ,if i was going to poach deer its the last place i would hit ,the other side of the park is better:D
any way a head ranger lives yards from where john was on about and im sure he would hear a quad going up the hill or rifle shot.
so i cant see your point ,as there id guided tours into the area and more than ourselves know there is a few deer on the national park.

kakashka

jwshooter wrote: »

its not rocket science to fine deer in the wicklow area ,if i was going to poach deer its the last place i would hit ,the other side of the park is better:D
any way a head ranger lives yards from where john was on about and im sure he would hear a quad going up the hill or rifle shot.
so i cant see your point ,as there id guided tours into the area and more than ourselves know there is a few deer on the national park.

"you better camp out here till sunday Griff",your own words?and why!!?
and do you seriously think poachers observe seasons!! ?
"there are guided tours" EXACTLY

jwshooter

i was taking the piss out of griff ,i know him personally .
the park is open to every one thats way its called a national park .
i think every poacher in ireland knows of the deer on and about the park .

kakashka

Good for you if you find it funny,strange attitude from someone claiming to be anti poaching though.
I certainly dont find it funny in any way
as for every poacher in Ireland well,A lot more know now,
It's irresponsible IMO of a NPWS Ranger to be posting such details(this is a hunting forum?)
surely the correct course would be to simply supply NPWS contact info.

Vegeta

kakashka, get a grip, everyone and his dog knows there are deer in and around the park, you'd want to be mentally deficient not to.

So stating such in a public forum is not a big deal.

Any potential poachers already know of the existence of those deer.

kakashka

Vegeta wrote: »

kakashka, get a grip, everyone and his dog knows there are deer in and around the park, you'd want to be mentally deficient not to.

So stating such in a public forum is not a big deal.

Any potential poachers already know of the existence of those deer.

I have a very good grip thanks,a specific area was mentioned,i have no problem with someone giving direction to NP but that was not the case here.
Who does or does not already know of those deer is hardly the point either,there are proper procedures in place for ppl wishing to visit and observe, if an ordinary Joe Soap had given these directions i'm willing to bet that he would be castigated from a height....

John Griffin

I have a very good grip thanks,a specific area was mentioned,i have no problem with someone giving direction to NP but that was not the case here.
Who does or does not already know of those deer is hardly the point either,there are proper procedures in place for ppl wishing to visit and observe, if an ordinary Joe Soap had given these directions i'm willing to bet that he would be castigated from a height....

The national park is open to the public, the presence of deer in the park is hardly a state secret. The Derrybawn herd is not and never will be in danger of being wiped out by poachers. I do not represent NPWS while I'm on boards by the way. I am a here because i am a hunter and i enjoy helping people out wherever i can, in my own personal time.

If you wish to discuss "proper" NPWS procedures on giving out information on the wildlife of the National Park to the public please feel free to phone me tomorrow during office hours. If you PM me i will send you my mobile number if you haven't got it already. I will talk to you as a Ranger then.

Vegeta

kakashka wrote: »

i'm willing to bet that he would be castigated from a height....

and you'd lose that bet