Roe are not pests, but a valuable resource

Roe deer in this country are considered to be vermin. Where once we had rabbits in every woodland margin we now have roe, among the most beautiful and sensitive of all our wild animals. But on the whole they are treated as tree and shrub nibbling pests. Almost anyone, brandishing a bottle of whisky and a few quid, can persuade a farmer with roe on his land to shoot pretty well what he likes. In other words we place little or no economic value on the animals either as wildlife or as an economic resource.

But are we, particularly those on small to medium sized farms with woodland areas, missing out? It was something that came up in peripheral conversation at a recent farm walk run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust on Strathdon. This walk for anyone interested in making the best of a small farm – 300 acres – for shooting and wildlife was an eye opener. Miles of double planted hedges forming wildlife corridors and shelter for a few pheasants, feeding advice for wild ducks, the importance of keeping vegetation low on the sunny side of scrub and hedges. It was all common sense, but common sense backed by immense attention to detail, constant planning, and experimentation and, let’s face it, a lot of hard work while trying to make a living from agriculture.

But round the barbecue later the question of our general attitude to roe came up, raised by a retired Irish keeper on holiday here. He simply couldn’t understand our laissez-faire attitude to roe. On mainland Europe they have shot out just about everything that’s worth shooting and for the middle of the road sportsman with limited resources there is very little accessible.

In Scotland, largely thanks to game laws and land ownership patterns (don’t expect land reformers to agree) we have vast numbers of roe but, with the exception of a few agents who will arrange these things, very little sensible exploitation. One answer, very simplified, is for landowners, which means farmers, to form groups and let the “stalking” though an agent who should handle everything once things are set up.

Shooting roe can only be from high seats set up in areas where roe are known to graze. Strict safety rules apply. The French, Germans and Belgians are happy with a self catering cottage or something better, preferably near somewhere decent to eat – a serious problem in rural Scotland.

They can go out at dawn and dusk and sleep during the day. They will usually be quite happy to shoot perhaps only one beast each in a whole week at an agreed price per animal. But they will have seen plenty, not just deer but a great deal of wildlife from their vantage point above the ground. And they obviously pay for the accommodation. Yes this already happens up to a point. But it could happen a lot more. n