More or Less Deer?

Deerspotter

Hi Lads,

Well since September 2011 through to till now, would you say you've seen more or less deer than last season?
I can tell you I'd say I've seen 50% less deer nationwide... I think that all the easy shots from the road-side are gone.
All the weaker animals were taken out by two hard winters.
I'm interested to hear your opinions.

poulo6.5

Deerspotter wrote: »

Hi Lads,

Well since September 2011 through to till now, would you say you've seen more or less deer than last season?
I can tell you I'd say I've seen 50% less deer nationwide... I think that all the easy shots from the road-side are gone.
All the weaker animals were taken out by two hard winters.
I'm interested to hear your opinions.

I have seen considerably less deer in and around my hunting grounds in south tip.

I saw plenty of sika up in the small bit of ground I have in Wicklow.

And Killarney is about the same as the last couple of years. But with hardly no red around to speak of.

I would say they are being hit hard.

Mauser 308

Deerspotter wrote: »

Hi Lads,

Well since September 2011 through to till now, would you say you've seen more or less deer than last season?
I can tell you I'd say I've seen 50% less deer nationwide... I think that all the easy shots from the road-side are gone.
All the weaker animals were taken out by two hard winters.
I'm interested to hear your opinions.

I have noticed a huge drop in numbers around the Slieve Blooms. Right from early on and even through the summer the numbers seem way, way down. Thankfully I have a good let in Roundwood, Wicklow which has good numbers. But as its my first year to shoot it I cant compare to other years.

browning 12 bore

well as far as i am aware lads i was always told after the rut season and xmas period the does and stags become very dosile and very relaxed in the woods so none exsited outside the woods maybe im wrong

steyrman2

This time of year deer tend to stay close in the woods were i shoot the dont ramble out to feed and this winter being mild the have no great reason to go outside i was out yesterday stalking and shot a hind and calf well inside the woods the were grazing away inside 100 yards in from grass field . I spent a hour waiting for them to come out but the had no interest outside so i went to them inside the wood i found were the were bedded down were i shot them was less than 50 yards from there

Deerspotter

There's no doubt they're harder to spot this time of the year. But I am taking in general since September.
(you'll see all the hinds again mid Feb as she gets hungry)

moby30

Theres no doubt down by me there is a big reduction in deer numbers. the extreme weather last year didnt help either. There are a few conflicting reports and theories aswell though. Most of the local landowners reacon they have never in their lives seen it so bad but one or two reacon they just havent come down off the high ground yet and say they have seen huge numbers when walking the summits. Fingers crossed they will decide to come down soon if they are up there:D

garv123

Much the same if not more even though the amount been shot around the area is huge...
People think because they arent in the fields the numbers are down.
When out lamping we meet more deer and hare than rabbits and foxes together.
Theres plenty of grass growing just inside the woods and they are feeding off that or coming out at night to feed.
Also when we're out shooting pheasants we often walk right up on deer in rough cover. and see plenty of them down in the cover in the glens.

Ditches between crossings on the road other spots is just reddened with deer tracks.

So im confident numbers are strong in our area but they are just arent out in the open during the day as much any more.

declan1980

When I read this, it makes me wonder if I'm getting into deer stalking at the wrong time?

steyrman2

declan1980 wrote: »

When I read this, it makes me wonder if I'm getting into deer stalking at the wrong time?

no need to be worry there has being 5 months of deer shooting if people were seeing deer in big numbers this time of year something would be wrong

marcp

declan1980 wrote: »

When I read this, it makes me wonder if I'm getting into deer stalking at the wrong time?

I dont think there is ever a bad time to get into deer stalking, but I wouldn't recommend spending big money on a lease. If it is a lease you are lookin at make sure you do your homework durin the summer. March is the best time to check numbers i believe.

groundskeeper willie

yea iv noticed a huge drop in numbers, dropping gradually for last few years but this year it was extreme. i'd say we'r lookin at about 30% of what was there say 3 years ago. i agree with lads about weather playin a part and availability of food in cover, but when you aint even seeing them on trail cams then they just aint there.

Hunter21

Id like to see national figures of all games dealers and see if they see a decline in numbers :rolleyes:

Shane.sf

garv123 wrote: »

Much the same if not more even though the amount been shot around the area is huge...
People think because they arent in the fields the numbers are down.
When out lamping we meet more deer and hare than rabbits and foxes together.
Theres plenty of grass growing just inside the woods and they are feeding off that or coming out at night to feed.
Also when we're out shooting pheasants we often walk right up on deer in rough cover. and see plenty of them down in the cover in the glens.

Ditches between crossings on the road other spots is just reddened with deer tracks.

So im confident numbers are strong in our area but they are just arent out in the open during the day as much any more.

Hi Gary
Do you mind me asking where??

Chiparus

More for me too.
Not as many being shot by poachers, I believe the major poachers were caught last year and the ranger has become more proactive.

garv123

Shane.sf wrote: »

Hi Gary
Do you mind me asking where??

Few spots around dungarvan.

daithi55

ive seen a lot less deer this year saying that i havent been out as much

richiedel123

Numbers are well down in my area too. Never seen it as bad. Im thinking putting away the rifle till next year and give what is left there a chance

243Xpress

Number are down everywhere.Anyone who thinks different is Delusional.Game dealers and the recession are to blame.If i wasn't working id be shooting a lot more also.Cant blame some lads for trying to support their families.

Deerspotter

It is possible that the deer numbers are down, but the numbers going to the game dealer are higher, due to increased price and more people after the money.

kakashka

Deerspotter wrote: »

the numbers going to the game dealer are higher

Hello Deerspotter,can you tell me how you source your info/just curious

Deerspotter

kakashka wrote: »

Hello Deerspotter,can you tell me how you source your info/just curious

The start of the sentence is "It is possible" which means it is not sourced info, it is a speculation.

landkeeper

but the 2nd part of your sentence is a statement which is the part i assume he is asking you quantify

323

Huge reduction in numbers in NW, based on lack of sign/tracks walking a lot of forest and cover.

Deerspotter

landkeeper wrote: »

but the 2nd part of your sentence is a statement which is the part i assume he is asking you quantify

Sorry for any confusion due to my grammar, it was just speculation. I have not sourced any information.

kakashka

Deerspotter wrote: »

Sorry for any confusion due to my grammar, it was just speculation. I have not sourced any information.

That kind of info is impossible to source Deerspotter..no offence but speculation has us all in a right mess (nothing wrong with your grammar..mine on the other hand:rolleyes:)

jingojonson

Lad i go stalking with says there are less deer than at any time since he took up stalking 15 years ago. Puts it down to poachers out lamping and general numbers being taken by legitimate hunters.

steyrman2

Out yesterday spent 3 hours stalking seen over 20 deer between stags and hinds and calfs all deer were in wooded areas shot a nice hind for the table in good condition also seen a few deer well out on np area early in the evening

garv123

Out ourselves this morning and it was a lovely morning for any kind of shooting. Sun was coming out and it was the first morning the windows in the jeep were frozen over.

Into the usual spot that we hadnt much look with for deer at bout quarter past 8, we knew they were there because it was reddened and we met them in the rough shooting pheasants. we walked along against the wood and we could see fresh markings in the wet grass as we followed them down and met two big stags out in the field, walked along the field opposite them and a Doe and its two fawns must have spotted us as the ran 200 yards past us into the wood, 5 deer spotted in 5 mins of each other. Off we went again and we jumped across abit of a mucky patch and as the lad crawled over the ditch he put his hand out to me to stop, so i got down and crawled to the ditch as he belly crawled out the field abit and opened the bipod, I spotted what he was after, a heard of four big stags and 5 does. I watched through the scope waiting for the bang, and it came followed by a thud and down goes a doe at 120 yards with a neck shot.
Was good to see so many deer about. You'd swear the stags know they are safe and come out again.

Also we met 12 pheasants, 8 of them off the same road and when we were gutting the doe there was cocks croaking from 3 sides of us. Great all spot if your willing to make the walk.

So numbers arent low for anything except wood cock in our area,

Finished off the morning too when we spotted a big orange spot in the field that was too big for a fox, we taught it was a trough, turns out it was a fox locked on a vixen :rolleyes: They broke free and the vixen ran but Mr charlie got 100gr in the chest

badshot

the numbers seem to be well down
on all my permissions too

doyle61

Was chatting to the uncle today. He works in the forestry in the sleeve blooms, and I was saying how I thought numbers were down. He agreed and he said about the place getting hammered by lamping was to blame.