Deer Species: Roe
This native, elegant and long legged Deer can be found across much of the UK.
Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) tend to be found in groups rather than herds and their ability to blend into woodland environments make them difficult to spot and able to exist in relatively small areas of cover unnoticed.
In contrast to many other deer antler eruption amongst the Bucks occurs over the spring and early summer, the quality of which in the UK is widely seen as a credit to our British Deer Managers and a draw for trophy hunters from around the world.
Roe are a territorial animal and can live up to 12 years in the wild. They stand around 70cm at the shoulder however despite their appearance they are light framed with bucks typically weighing no more than 30kg on the hoof for a really good specimen.
In summer Roe are typically a foxy red colour turning to dark brown in the winter. Although they have no tail the does display a tuft of hair in winter coat allowing them to be distinguished from bucks during winter months when the bucks have cast their antlers.
Unlike other UK species of deer Roe Does typically give birth to twins, the does are also unique in that they have a process of delayed implantation of the fertilised ovum into the womb. This means that despite the rut being around July/Aug the doe is not visibly pregnant until at least January the following year.
