The Ever-Growing Importance of the Winter Doe Cull

As the nights draw in and a chill lingers in the morning air, there are unmistakable signs that winter approaches. But for now, autumn has arrived, with the woodland floor a blanket of yellow and orange, as leaves release their summer grip and float towards the ground.

Roe deer are now a  patchy canvas, as they change from their summer coat, to a thicker winter jacket. Their antlers have begun to cast, releasing a buck from a year’s worth of prolific use. It is unsurprising that deer antler is one of the fastest growing natural tissues on earth. However, insufficient nutrition will adversely affect both body condition and new antler development, as deer transition through the winter months. Sufficient body reserves are therefore vital at this time of the year, with the rut having taken its toll.

Whilst the deer management company that I co-founded, Venatio Sporting is far from a trophy outfit, the recreational stalker with a keen interest in antlers would be wise to note that genetics are secondary to nutrition, where antler size and development is concerned. In the words of the wise, late Richard Prior “Base your cull on body condition and not antler”.

From the 1st November, roe buck are out of season in England and Wales and with this closure, comes the inevitable hanging-up of binoculars and rifles for most recreational stalkers, but this needs to change. For the active wild deer manager, the 1st November symbolises the beginning of the winter doe cull and unlike the peachy, warm summer evenings, the winter doe cull is, for the most part, wet, cold and sufficiently tiering.

A deer manager should be well positioned ahead of the doe cull, having tweaked his/her localised management plan, undertaken refreshed impact assessments and made a conscious decision as to how many does will be culled in a given area.

To maintain wild deer numbers at environmentally sustainable levels, you have to cull sufficiently more does than bucks. For this reason, our own doe cull makes up approx. 65% of our aggregate cull plan. Clearly it takes two to tango (although, sometimes more, as a doe will mate with numerous bucks whilst she ovulates, occasionally resulting in twin kids having entirely separate fathers), but it is the doe who ultimately brings the next generation of deer into this world, not the buck.

Buck kids also have a higher natural mortality rate than doe kids and so culling higher numbers of does assists in realigning sex ratios, although rarely achieved. More importantly, nearly all post yearling does are pregnant when shot, with your soft point round potentially accounting for up to four animals with a single squeeze of the trigger, as a doe will be carrying anything from a single kid to triplets.

Culling bucks of course has its merits and is a very important undertaking in its own right, but does are the real focal point for population control and it’s critical that recreational stalkers, national bodies, and our own Government understand this. 

Regardless of the time of year, our aim as a deer manager is to restore balance in woodlands, re-align natural habitats, promote the natural generation of next generation tree species and to ultimately achieve optimal, sustainable levels of biodiversity. Ongoing education is without a doubt essential and not only for Joe Public’s benefit, but also for the active recreational stalker who currently hold the tools and the means to assist in protecting our pastures green.

One simply has to do a little research and talk with stalkers, farmers, land agents and forestry managers to understand that the future is looking somewhat bleak where projected deer numbers are concerned. A collaborative alignment within the countryside is more important now than ever in terms of approach to wild deer management and the necessity for doe numbers to be brought down within a structured framework.

Deer management should always be seen and utilised by landlords as a preventive measure and not a reactional one. If a response is indeed reactional, the damage already sustained to the next generation of saplings may have already knocked back the woodland. We also want to see our native deer thrive at sustainable levels and not be outcompeted by foreign species such as fallow. 

Naturally, supply and demand will become a factor and a surplus of venison will do nothing but pressure/reduce larder prices, as demand fails to gain sufficient traction. This is where the public comes into play and it should be our upmost priority to convince every pub, restaurant, family member, friend, and colleague to utilise this incredible wild product.

We are fortunate enough to have strong advocates in the industry, such as game chef Mike Robinson, but one man is not enough. We need change and we need it at scale. Winter does offer fantastic carcasses and we at Venatio have our own diverse distribution network for our venison which is offtaken by a range of pubs and restaurants, who provide hearty meals to their customers, with an environmentally sustainable and local message.

Every top-knotted vegan you meet, if you’re so lucky “should” understand the merit in constructive deer management and I would happily challenge anyone who tentatively disagrees. A topic often overlooked is that the consumption of wild venison directly contributes towards population reduction, where the recreational stalker is concerned, which in turn lowers methane emissions and increases levels of autotroph photosynthesis, aiding the reduction of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and the production of oxygen. Combine the above with the endless positives that balanced wild deer management has on the environment, from a conservation and biodiversity point of view and surely you have a wild super food… and we haven’t even discussed the health benefits. 

Collaboration will likely be the key to success as localised culls take effect across the countryside this winter. Remember that a hot flask of tea goes a long way in restoring contentment after a long stalk in the elements.