A roe deer is not just a roe deer
Hunters distinguish between the male and female:
- The male is called a roebuck or buck.
- The female gives birth to fawns and is called a doe.
- A young roe that has not yet lambed is called a fawn or, once they are around one year, a yearling.
- An adult roe deer doe is one that has lambed, although it may well be only two years old.
The buck’s antlers
Bucks begin to set antlers during the winter months, after the old antlers have been shed. During this growth process the antlers are covered with a layer of skin called ‘velvet’, which supplies nutrition to the antlers during growth and is soft to the touch. Roebucks begin to rub their antlers once they are fully developed. For some bucks this happens in March, while others have not finished rubbing when the Danish buck hunting season begins on 16 May. The antlers are rubbed against thin branches and twigs, and their colour depends on which plants the bucks have been rubbing. The roebuck continues to rub its antlers throughout the summer until mating season. It uses rubbing to apply scent from glands in the forehead and near the eyes. It also makes scrapes in which it applies scent from glands in the hoofs, so that rivals can see and smell its territory.
There are roe deer everywhere
You can find roe deer anywhere there is a suitable feed. Roe deer do not graze, but prefer fresh shoots or new grass sprouts. If you observe a roe deer eating, you will note how it feeds on a range of plants and flowers. Roe deer have 50-60 different plants on the menu.
Hunting season
The buck hunting season in Denmark is from the 16 May to 15 July. Hunters typically sit in a high seat or tower or stalk the buck. When stalking, it is important to get close to the deer, before shooting it with a rifle or bow. Note that shotguns must NOT be used in Denmark during the spring hunt! Both does and bucks may be shot in Denmark during autumn. The autumn roe deer hunting season is from 1 October until the end of January. Hunters still hunt at a distance, while it gets harder and harder to stalk the deer as the quantity of dry leaves increases. But many roe deer are bagged through flush hunting and line driving using a rifle. Roe deer are also bagged using shotguns in some areas. This is quite acceptable and effective, as long as the recommended maximum shooting distance of 20 metres is observed – and only side shots and large pellets.
Gear
A hunter never allows poor equipment to let him down, but if you want to reduce your gear to the minimum, here is a good list:
- Binoculars
- Gutting knife
- Carry strap for transporting the buck back to the vehicle
- A tub to put the deer in so that no blood gets spilled in the vehicle
- Mosquito repellent
- Hot coffee for the cold mornings
LEARN MORE ABOUT HUNTING GAME
See all the posts from our Deerhunter blog
- The fox
- Greylag goose
- The common goldeneye
- Eider
- Wild boar
- Pheasant
- Fallow deer in Denmark
- The woodcock
- The wigeon
- The mallard
- The Eurasian teal