Visiting the deer park at Dunham Massey

Early summer

June and July

The new fawns are born – they're able to stand up within minutes of being born. The natural instinct of the deer is to protect their young, so it’s even more important at this time that you give them space, especially if you have dogs with you.

Fawns are rarely seen in the first few weeks of their life. They stay in the deer sanctuary, away from the busier areas of the park. They won’t venture further into the park until later in the summer. If you do spot a fawn, it’s a magical sight but you should keep your distance.

It's normal to see a fawn alone

Don’t worry if you see a fawn on its own. They rely on their mothers for milk, so they’re often left in the long grass so she can spend time grazing.

If you are concerned about a fawn, then please let one of the park guides or rangers know. But please don’t get too close or try to touch the fawn, as there’s a risk that the mother may then reject it.

Summer

August

The bucks in the herd will be starting to re-grow their antlers now. The new antlers come out looking very soft, as if they’re covered in a velvety fur.

From August onwards, they’ll shed this velvet layer, leaving bloody material hanging. You may notice them rubbing against trees or fences – anything with a hard surface – to get rid of the layer of skin. It might look unsightly but the deer aren’t in any pain.

Autumn

September and October

This is the breeding or ‘rutting’ season where the bucks fight for the pick of the does with which to mate. The bucks, with fully grown antlers, are full of testosterone which means that the bucks smell strongly of musk and their necks thicken.  

The rut

They scrape hollows with their hooves, urinate and then wallow in it to deter any other bucks from coming into their turf. They also roar or bellow at each other (you can often hear this noise early in the morning).

The rut peaks in October and during this time the bucks begin to parallel walk, sizing each other up. If another male approaches, they will start to bellow loudly as a way to warn them. If neither backs down they will clash antlers until one of the contenders if either injured or exhausted. The victorious buck gains the right to mate with the nearby females.

The best times to see the deer rutting is early morning when it’s quiet in the park.

Counting the herd

In October we count the deer in preparation for the cull over winter. As deer have no natural predator in the UK, it’s important to manage the herd. If we didn’t cull them each year, scarce food and over-grazing would cause significant health issues to the herd, damaging the park, and negatively impacting the other wildlife that lives here.

Winter

January and February

At the start of the year you may not see much of the herd as they often stay near the deer sanctuary. With the colder temperatures, this is when the deer aren't looking their best. Their thick winter coats are grey and scraggy.

People often think they look hungry or undernourished, but they’re still getting a good balanced diet. The deer get all the food they need from the grass, but during winter Dunham’s rangers monitor the conditions in the park and give the deer additional food if they need it.

They are given a mixture of carrots and rolled barley grown at Home Farm. This ensures they are getting all the nutrients and minerals they need.

Spring

March, April and May

In April and May the deer start the process of casting. This is where their old antlers fall off. You’ll probably see some bucks with just one antler as they often don’t lose both at the same time.

Sometimes visitors get in on the action and find antlers lying around the park; if you’re lucky enough to find some, you can keep them! The best places to find them are usually in the long grass or by trees.