Oxon Deer Limited

Oxon Deer Limited is a small company providing tailored deer management and consultancy advice to farmers, landowners, land managers, environmental groups and foresters. Our practical management work is focused in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, but we will travel nationally for consultancy advice.

Who we are

Oxon Deer Limited was established in 2018 by our founder, Tom. Tom created Oxon Deer Limited in response to the growing need for professional deer management and advice.


In addition to deer management and consultancy the company sells venison to local pubs, restaurants and other customers.


Tom has a passion for all things deer and is a regular contributor to various publications including the magazines 'Sporting Gun' and 'The Countryman's Weekly'.


Why manage deer?

Deer are a prey species, they are used to being predated. This means they are biologically programmed to reproduce more rapidly than is required just to maintain their numbers. According to the British Deer Society (BDS) 'a population of 100 Roe deer, allowing for natural mortality rates, can grow to 1,000 within 10 years if no predation takes place'.


There are currently over 2 million wild deer living in the UK – the highest number for over 1,000 years. Furthermore, with increasing urbanisation, the habitat available for deer is declining and their numbers therefore need to be managed. With no natural predators human intervention is required.


In the UK we are lucky enough to have six species of wild deer (Red, Fallow, Sika, Roe, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer). However, only two of these are native to the UK – Red and Roe. All of the other species were introduced by our ancestors. Our natural resources are therefore under constant pressure to support a burgeoning deer population that was artificially created.


Safe and humane management is carried out by individuals and companies such as ourselves to ensure a natural balance exists.

The Legalities

Controlling wild deer is perfectly legal, providing it is carried out with the consent of the landowner and within the confines of the Deer Act 1991. The Deer Act does stipulate certain 'open seasons' for each deer species in England, these are outlined below:


Females

  • Chinese Water Deer, Fallow, Sika, Red and Roe - 1st November to 31st March

  • Muntjac - all year round (no closed season)


Males

  • Chinese Water Deer - 1st November to 31st March

  • Fallow, Sika and Red - 1st August to 30th April

  • Roe - 1st April to 31st October

  • Muntjac - all year round (no closed season)