Deer Management

During the last two decades, the deer population in the UK has doubled. There are now thought to be in excess of 1.5 million deer from six different species making their home across the nation. With the vegetation of the South West being such a popular draw for these creatures, they are thriving and it has been necessary to exercise deer management in Devon and across the UK.

You might be wondering why has there been such an increase in numbers. Well some of the factors include:

• Ample forest cover
• Year-round farm crops
• No predators – in other countries larger species, like the bear, are predators of the deer

With such an abundance of deer making themselves at home, they inevitably bring problems. They graze on farmers crops, destroy many beautiful gardens and perhaps, even more alarmingly, their semi urban presence has been the cause of 20 human deaths in road traffic accidents. In addition to this bird populations are dwindling. You may wonder how deer can reduce bird numbers but they like to eat and destroy the habitat of birds such as Nightingales, Willow Warblers and other migrating birds.

Typical species of deer in Devon and the UK

The typical deer that you can expect to see around the UK are Roe and Red deer as well as Fallow, Sika deer, Muntjac and Water deer. With Devon being home to the perfect grazing habitats of Dartmoor and Exmoor it is no surprise that there are plenty of these creatures right on our doorstep.

High cost of damage from deer

While no one likes to think of deer as a problem, the unfortunate reality is that, just like foxes and other vermin, they are a pest and it is necessary to exercise pest control. If farmers lose their crops it can be very costly. In England, the cost of damage to agriculture from deer is reported to be £4.3 million. As the deer hunt for food and grow in numbers they get even closer to semi urban and even suburban areas. The less timid they become, the more of a threat they pose.

Signs to look out for

If you think that there might be deer in your area, there are signs to look out for. These include:

• Footprints – more obvious in soft ground
• Fresh droppings – black or brown small pellets
• Uneven edge on plant leaves
• Scarred tree bark from males rubbing their heads
• Antlers which are shed once a year

Of course, for farmers who are losing crops, it will be important to recognise the signs sooner rather than later. A professional pest control service, that specialise in deer management in Devon, will be able to determine the cause of the problem.

Deer management in Devon

There are preventative measures that can be taken as part of our deer management in Devon services. These include repellents, scare tactics and adequate boundaries protecting the land. They aren’t small creatures though and these tactics won’t work for everyone.

To find out more about our deer management in Devon then we recommend that you call or email us in the first instance. We will be happy to come out and assess your problem and advise you of the necessary steps. Our services are licensed, registered and approved and only carried out by experienced experts in the field of deer management.