[Closed] Nearly taken out by a deer this afternoon,in Wombwell?

I lived in Ardsley for 14 years and used to walk my dog along the old railway that has b come that path. Don’t recall seeing deer more than a handful of times. Rabbits were plentiful though.
I suspect it’s all a bit greener than it used to be, not been back for about 5 years.

I've seen a few over the years. Always thought they had escaped from the deer farm or from Wentworth Castle as the trail passes close to both.

Roe deer in particular are found virtually all over the UK. Bits of Wales, Midlands and Cheshire are sparser in population, but they are a very hardy and adaptable creature, and so thrive anywhere there is a food supply. They browse on hedges, crops and grasses, as well as trees and shrubs, so in other words there are very few places they don't put in an appearance. In many places now they are becoming as urbanised as the red fox. My son is currently on a Scottish island, and has seen them weaving between cars on their way to and from gardens and the golf course onn the edge of town.

They are crepuscular in habit, in other words most active at dawn and dusk, and have some of the most acute senses of smell and eyesight. Most people don't see them, as they know you're there long before you know they are, and are very good at making themselves scarce. Crashing around in a woodland on a bike, or walking yer average pooch means you'll never really see more than a glimpse of them, even if you knew where to look.

They are also creatures of habit, so a bit of patience, reconnaissance and wit will pay dividends. Best places to look are woodland edges bordering arable land or pasture, an hour or so either side of sunset and an hour before dawn to early/mid-morning. Stay downwind, cover as much of your skin as you can with muted coloured gloves and even a facemask/buff. Keep movements very slow and deliberate, and don't expect to get closer than a couple of hundred yards unless you're pretty experienced at the game. You'll need binos, 7or 8 x40 to help you look at them, and a decent zoom on your camera.

Time to re-introduce the Lynx ..they are obviously reaching epidemic proportions ...

Led a group ride down the Cloud Trail south of Derby last summer, typical disused railway line Sustrans route. About 10 riders going single file through an old cutting with undergrowth either side when 3 deer suddenly broke cover and ran right through the line of riders. Apparently it looked amazing, but it all happened behind me so just heard braking, shouting and a lot of "was that real?" conversations

A roe deer is not much bigger than a Labrador, standing perhaps to just above an adult knee height. A larger deer in South Yorks could have been a Fallow, which would reach your hips.

Fallow are also widespread, preferring broad leaf woodland. They do however form herds at certain times of the year, and have a sort of migratory pattern looking for crops to graze.

Originally brought to the Island by the Romans, they became more or less extinct in Britain until they were reintroduced by the Normans for food and hunting. There are various colour schemes across different types of fallow.(Melanistic, Menil, Common and White) These are the ones with spotted flanks and huge palmate antlers on the Bucks. There are a lot in deer parks as they are attractive and breed well in farmed setups. Widespread and naturalised to the UK, they are considered a menace to forestry and crops in places, and are prized by stalkers in England and Wales.

Very similar to Fallow are Sika deer. Another non-native species, these deer resemble the fallow, but without the palmate antlers. Sika can interbreed with native Red Deer, and hybridisation is now so common that it is believed only a few pockets of pure-blood Red deer remain in remote highlands and Islands.

These are the ones that roam around Wentworth Castle which in places is very near to the TPT

https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/113154/oh-deer-wentworth-castle/893574

This is also adjacent to the trail

http://www.roundgreenfarm.co.uk

I live in Bolton on Dearne and have used the TPT to cycle to work in Barnsley for the last 10 years. I have seen some strange sights but have never seen a deer.

I was hoping for more romantic content, given the thread title.

We had to stop night riding in that area with the girls when they were younger due to some of the strange sights on some parts of the trail.

We had an albino stag almost run into the side of the car recently on the a27. Utterly breath taking as I looked it square in the eye.

Scapegoat...what are you talking about ?
A roe deer is no bigger than a Labrador?..without meaning to sound rude ..utter bullshit ..
I live on the outskirts of Kielder Forest where their numbers have reached epidemic proportions and unless we have a mutant variety they are much much bigger than a Labrador ..( I see at least one or two every time I ride locally ..)
If they are only Labrador sized where you live there must be something in the water to stunt their growth ..

Looking at some pictures,it was a roe deer,and I've never seen a labrador that big,it went past very quickly,but looked over 3 feet at the shoulders

Last year, while out running, I came across 5 deer, probably Roe deer in the woods between Grimethorpe and Great Houghton.
They soon scarpered when they clocked me, but I was a bit shocked to see so many at first.
I've seen quite a few individuals since then out and about in the area and an increasing number of foxes too, mainly in daylight.

I paused one early morning, on a ride in Ashridge (Chilterns) to have a wee.
All around was peacefully quite and I had the feeling I was being watched,looked to my right and there is the head of a bloody big stag ,poking out of the ferns,standing totally still. Next thing ,about 30 of his mates came bolting past me. Best wee ever.

Roe deer stand up to 75cm at the shoulder, and an adult buck will weigh up to 35 kg. So not much bigger than a Labrador, taller, yes because of their longer legs, and I think their long necks and legs give them a weird perspective which makes them look bigger. I was genuinely surprised how small they are when I first got up close to one. I had only ever seen them on the move at distance before that. I also own a Labrador. She weighs 28kg. I’d post a photo of her next to an adult doe, but I’m sure there would be an outcry.

Not sure why deer always seem to run across in front of you when riding. On yesterday mornings ride 3 separate groups ran across in front of me. I ride early in the morning so see deer on pretty much every ride and they certainly don't have a good approach to escaping from danger by running straight by it instead of going in opposite direction to avoid.

I don't think they are Roe deer, they are the ones that are the size of a Dachshund aren't they?

At least they cross the trail and piss off! I remember one early morning ride in stromlo (Canberra) where the big roos started to head down the trail with me!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.wild-scotland.org.uk/species/75/roe-deer/&ved=2ahUKEwiKm-WHgJDgAhXWXhUIHWbVAlUQFjAPegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw1kxQbCH7P2Mw2Mm1B_ykaZ

@scapegoat...that's like saying I'm only 2'6"..but in reality I'm 6'because of my long legs and slightly long but shorter neck..😁
Surely when describing something you take in the whole enchilada ...

Did you read Cheesybeanz link to Wild Scotland?. Here, I'll paste the first paragraph.;;

Roe deer
Roe deer
Where to watch >>
View result on map >>
Roe deer have a body size a little smaller than a labrador dog, but with long graceful legs.

Sure did ..still doesn't take away from the fact that the body + legs +neck is a lot bloody taller than a Labrador..😁

You haven't replied to my PM.

I said that a Roe Deer is

not much bigger

than a labrador. They stand between 65 and 75cm at the shoulder.

Labradors stand around 60cm.

An adult roe will weigh between 15 and 35 kg.

An adult lab in good condition will weigh between 26 and 36 kg.

I have got several photos of my dog, weighing 28kg, next to an adult roe doe she has tracked. I offered to send you that photo to prove the point I made, which is that an adult Roe deer is NOT MUCH bigger than a labrador.

Which bits are you struggling with?

they are the ones that are the size of a Dachshund aren’t they?

None are quite that small but you are probably thinking of either Muntjac or Chinese water deer. Probably the former since the latter are fairly rare.
For groups more likely to be Fallow (especially in summer) which are also a tad larger.

Round Green Farm used to breed Red, Fallow and Roe deer before they retired.
Wentworth Castle has Red and Fallow deer
My money is still on them been escapees from one of them. You can get near to them as I think they have got used to the amount of traffic on the trail.

We have bought a building plot in Scotland and we've discovered that a deer is in the habit of leaving her fawns in the long grass at the edge of the plot while she forages. We are worried that building work will frighten them away. Any suggestions?

We have bought a building plot in Scotland and we’ve discovered that a deer is in the habit of leaving her fawns in the long grass at the edge of the plot while she forages. We are worried that building work will frighten them away. Any suggestions?

Roe commonly give birth to twins in May-June. For the first few weeks (about six to eight weeks, ) the kids are completely dependent and are left by the Doe in cover,separately. The kids by instinct remain completely still, even if approached by a predator, relying on their camouflage to protect them. After that few weeks the kids become "followers", staying close to the doe and she'll continue to lactate to feed them into November/December. They'll stay close to the doe right through the autumn and winter, not completely dependent, but learning from the doe. They'll stay as "followers" as long as the Doe lets them, but she'll have another pair of kids on her mind come May/June, so she usually sends them away in spring. .

So, if you have evidence the kids are being left near the plot, then leave the grass alone until the end of August, (a lot get killed by mowers unfortunately). The builders won't disturb the kids unless they get right up to them and pick them up, so just brief them to leave them alone.

Scapegoat - I do a lot of deer management. I have 2 labradors. I'm with hodgy - no way I'd ever describe a roe as "labrador sized" and they're certainly do NOT stand just above adult knee height!!

If I was talking about a munjac, I'd use the comparison of a labrador / knee height, but never a roe.

Your lengthy posts smack of a load of cut and paste off a few wildlife websites and aren't always accurate!

After that few weeks the kids become “followers”, staying close to the doe and she’ll continue to lactate to feed them into November/December. They’ll stay close to the doe right through the autumn and winter, not completely dependent, but learning from the doe. They’ll stay as “followers” as long as the Doe lets them, but she’ll have another pair of kids on her mind come May/June, so she usually sends them away in spring. .

That's not entirely true either. Basically, they're fawns (or calves, depending on species) while they're dependent on the mother (so much longer than a few weeks). They only become "followers" once they are independent but not productive themselves.

We have bought a building plot in Scotland and we’ve discovered that a deer is in the habit of leaving her fawns in the long grass at the edge of the plot while she forages. We are worried that building work will frighten them away. Any suggestions?

Without meaning to sound cruel deer aren’t what you’d call an endangered species up here so to be honest I’d give it no more cause for concern than the field mice you are undoubtedly also disturbing. I’ve seen what I assume are roe rather than red deer in industrial estates, near shopping center car parks and my own back garden so in all likelihood they’ll just move somewhere else.

I think you'll find that roe make themselves look taller when in alert mode, obviously also depends on whether it's flat ground or slight incline. I've seen them at all times of day, in fact myself and a friend watched a pair sha$$ing in broad daylight in an open field. They knew we were there but carried on regardless (!) as we gawped through our binoculars.

As regards muntjac, I've been extremely close to them and they're more the size of a cocker spaniel.

Scapegoat ...sorry I hadn't realised it was obligatory to reply to your pm ..
I didn't because you seem very set in your own opinion of how a roe deer looks ..despite the fact that I've already said that I live in a part of the country which has probably the highest population of roe deer ( Kielder Forest ..all 250 square miles of it ) ..and have said that I see them regularly ..
I don't need any of your pics as I already know what they look like at very close quarters as one decided to re-design the front end of my car just over a year ago ..
Could I suggest a trip to Specsavers so you can get a better perspective ..and point you in the direction of Dashed's post a little further up the page ..
Failing that ..you are welcome to keep your own opinion of how tall they are ( from ear tip to toe ..and I will keep mine ..
Cheers

That’s not entirely true either. Basically, they’re fawns (or calves, depending on species)

Or Roe kids, according to The Woodland Trust, The British Deer Society, The Deerinitiative. co .uk, BASC. org. uk and many more ..........

Anyway, I can't be arsed with this nonsense. My point was that a roe deer is not much bigger than a labrador. I pointed out they have long legs and necks which means they are taller, but their bodies are not much bigger.

If it makes you feel better to argue the toss, feel free.

So we have no idea what breed they are. There is a good chance that they are one or more of the same that have bred locally unless they have strolled up or down the trails from some where else. We do know that there are some which are bigger than a Labrador (the ones we have seen are). Could it be that there are more than one type on the trail.

From the pictures on the net,it was a roe,distinctive with flashes on the rear,other wise plain brown,looked very much like this