Roe Deer

[Red Squirrel]

Just spotted this handsome creature over the garden wall.
I hope that I'm wrong in what I've spotted at the base of it's neck. It looks like an old bullet hole to me. I know that they need to be culled but not in my back yard.
It's my first image posting so hope I've done it properly.

[thunder]

Can't see anything that looks like a bullet hole, but if you mean the dark blob, that is just the flower head of one of the rushes in front of it.

henrya

[muldonach]

Have to say he looks pretty bright eyed and bushy tailed to me. I can see a little patch of disturbed hair low on his neck - is that what you are referring to.

Did you by any chance see the other side of his neck? If it was a bullet strike that caused that disturbed hair it would be an entry wound for sure and I would expect some more noticeable damage on the other side.

I would also think it unlikely that a beast would recover from a bullet strike in that area and would probably waste away and die either of starvation or possibly more likely infection.

He has quite a poor head but shows no other sign of malnutrition nor infection so I think it is unlikely he has been shot in the neck, although it is possible that it could be an airgun pellet strike.

Cheers
mac

[valleyforge]

Originally Posted by muldonach

He has quite a poor head ...

Maybe that's as well, and might mean he hangs onto it atop his neck, instead of losing it for the sake of a trophy on someone's wall.

I agree though that aside from the small bald patch on the lower neck, he appears alert, aware, bright and clear of eye and suitably moist of nostril ... not the appearance of an animal that has recently been traumatised, or suffering an injury or illness.

[muldonach]

should have added that it is altogether more likely that he lost that patch of hair during a one on one with another buck - its that time of year or most probably just past depending on locality.

Valleyforge - could be right at that - no fee paying trophy hunter would give him a second glance.

On the other hand -its not easy to age him from the photo but if a proper assessment indicated he was anything but a young beast

cheers
mac

[Red Squirrel]

No it's not the dark blob in the middle of it's neck Thunder. It's to the left of that - on the edge of it's neck. If you zoom in you can see it quite clearly. Looks like an old wound but I'd much rather think that it's from another deer than a gun.

[aland]

We are surrounded by hundreds of deer what with Charlcote park and several woods and they do have these type of old wounds and scars, I would say it is more likely to be from other deer or perhaps barbed wire as they do jump over fences all the time, He looks reasonably healthy to me, aland