The deer population is increasing exponentially, during the period of Covid, venison demand and the extremely low price therefore of, has rendered the deer being left to breed completely unchecked and unmanaged. This has resulted in increased numbers of deer venturing onto our roads and sadly coming into contact with vehicles. Deer habited is also being pressured by the need to build more homes and I am personally being called to attend DVC’s (Deer Vehicle Collisions) in ever increasing residential areas.

Our High Risk Deer Crossing Areas Are;

· Buxted Park Entrance to Coopers Green

· Saxon Court (A272) to School Lane, Hadlow Down

· Budletts Lane

· The entire stretch of the A22 Uckfield by pass from Blackdown Roundabout to the East Hoathly Village Roundabout

· Blackdown Roundabout to Herons Ghyll

So Who To Call In The Event You Are Involved in a DVC?

· Deer Wardens on call 24/7/365– (contact via 101 or 999)

· Provide the best location you possibly can – the free app What Three Words -https://what3words.com/ is great and used by all the blue light services.

· Use your hazard lights and vehicle to protect the scene and exit the vehicle to a safe place and await the police / Deer Warden

There are 26 of us spread around East Sussex, we are all volunteers. The animal’s welfare is our primary concern to us and second only to when humans are injured at the same scene. We are trained by the police and other agencies to make dynamic risks assessments based on the known facts at the time. All of us have 10’s of years of experience in working with deer. Our decisions on the animals fate are at times not always agreeable to individuals at the scene, this is more so if those members of the public at the time have never been in such close proximity to deer before and had their car possibly written off. We are liability insured and have conditions on our firearms licenses signed by the Chief Constable (!) to humanely dispatch animals at the roadside (a public place after all) should this action be required. I cannot stress enough, the animal’s welfare is our primary concern, the decision to humanely dispatch is really hard on us.

We are called upon by Sussex Police when;

(i) Deer are involved in DVC’s on a public highway and are positioned in such a way on the highway that a further collision and or danger is possible - in this case please do call 999 for an immediate response.

(ii) Deer are suspected of being hit by a vehicle and lying inured at the edge of the highway

Ashdown Forest Rangers – 01323 823583 if you have a non-urgent concern over animal welfare.

They will or should only deal with injured deer within the confines of Ashdown Forest – see attached image showing boundary, if the deer/animal is a danger to other road users then call 999 and have the What3Words app (https://what3words.com) loaded on your phone to give a precise location. Have no worries about using this service, it’s there to be used in the right circumstances.

Animal Rescue Organisations – There are quite a few of these now which most folk are well aware of eg Kit Wilson Trust, WRAS / Folly’s etc, these organisations do a sterling job and definitely have their place in terms of preserving life and animal welfare, I totally commend the work they perform.

Sadly, what I will say here, is that deer hit by motor vehicles is usually fatal, stress on its own can take the life of a deer, broken limbs are very common. There is a general perception that injured deer can be rehabilitated even if just a broken limb, sadly this is not the case (fawns being the exception). This is where at times we have a difficult time in convincing the people at the scene we are doing what is ultimately humane for the animal. Taking it to an animal rescue will simply add delay and unnecessary suffering.

When To Call Animal Rescue?

1. Deer stuck in fences on private land (if Highway land call 101 / 999 depending on proximity to highway)

2. Deer seen on private land tangled up in rope / football netting / fishing line / washing lines (I kid you not!)

3. Deer seen on private land and you have concerns for its welfare e.g. underweight, damaged legs, visible injuries eg dog attack, head hanging low, lying down and not attempting to move when you are seen at distance by the deer.

Dead Deer At The Roadside – I use the enclosed form a lot (sadly) you will need a postcode of a nearby business or property, and if you can give a What3Words location in the comments then this will ensure the pickup crew find the deer quickly. https://my.wealden.gov.uk/en/AchieveForms/?form_uri=sandbox-publish://AF-Process-c5da1235-4c68-40aa-a371-31f381184fe0/AF-Stage-50e59fc8-5dfd-4b17-b5e6-5c31caacde6a/definition.json&redirectlink=%2Fen&cancelRedirectLink=%2Fen&consentMessage=yes

Ashdown Forest Rangers – Their Area (approximate) - see attached

Drive Safe

Regards Julian Butcher – Your Buxted and surrounding area Deer Warden