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Pony near Hampton Ridge
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***** For information about New Forest access restrictions and related matters, check out the Forestry England website. *****

Deer field signs - signs of the rut

Look out for signs left by rutting deer - roe deer rut in mid-summer; fallow, red and sika deer rut in autumn; and Reeves muntjac rut all-the-year-round.

Rutting stands

Fallow deer rutting stand
Rutting stands, particularly those used by fallow deer, sometimes cover an extensive area and leave muddied earth fringed by over-hanging, frayed branches.

Frayed branches

Branch frayed by a fallow deer buck
Deer rub their antlers against branches and saplings to remove velvet; and aggressively fray timber to mark the vicinity of rutting stands.

Scrapes and wallows

Fallow deer scrape
These are signs that rutting deer, or deer preparing for the rut, have used the area – the deer urinate in the wallows and liberally coat themselves with the resulting mud!

Marks made in tree trunks by sika deer

Sika stag tree damage
These markings indicate the presence of a sika stag, and are caused by scouring with the antlers. 

New Forest deer field signs - find out lots more

New Forest deer - find out lots more

References:
The History of British Mammals: Derek Yalden
Roe Deer: John K. Fawcett, British Deer Society
New Forest Roe Deer: John K. Fawcett
Deer Watch: Richard Prior
Mammals of Britain and Europe: David McDonald, Priscilla Barret
Field Guide to British Deer: F J Taylor Page

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** New Forest ponies and other animals**
The New Forest
Commoners' ponies, cattle, pigs, sheep and donkeys are a popular part of the New Forest scene, but during 2019 agisters attended 159 road traffic accidents involving these animals, a small but disappointing increase on the 154 accidents attended in 2018.

Sadly, 58 animals were killed - 35 ponies, 13 cows, 8 donkeys and 2 sheep, whilst a further 32 were injured - 3 pigs, 9 donkeys, 11 cows and 9 ponies.

(Forty-three accidents occurred in daylight, 15 at twilight and 101 in the dark. Twenty-seven accidents were not reported by the driver involved).

Here's just one horrific example - Three donkeys killed in collision with van at notorious New Forest blackspot (Advertiser and Times)
** Always take care when driving **
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley
Content produced by Andrew Walmsley