SIKA DEER
Sika deer have been on the island since 1927 when Martin Coles Harman brought over 7 Japanese sika. At the time of writing this there are just over 100 deer on the island. The males are stags and the females are hinds (not does). Their summer coats are a red/ginger with white spots and a wonderful dark grey in the winter.
The stags winter coats are darker than the hinds, turning a charcoal grey which can look black. They can camouflage themselves easily in the autumn bracken and often hide up in the gorse or small copses. Their white bums are what you see first and usually the giveaway to their presence. The deer will have seen or smelled you long before you see them.
Sometimes a dominant hind will bark a warning and before you know it, they are running away. If you are quiet and stand still, not looking directly at them, sometimes the deer will accept you and look you over, with the dominant female actually walking towards you for a better look. The best time to see the deer is early in the morning.
On my days off, I would often walk up the island at sunrise looking for raptors, and there were always deer around. An early morning walk along the Lower East path between Millcombe and the quarries or along the Upper East path is a good place to start. Just remember to be as quiet as possible and keep your eyes peeled.
Along those routes, the Quarter Wall copse is your best chance of seeing them. The East Sidelands are a favourite place for the deer, and on sunny days the deer can be seen on the top of the island amongst the gorse. In the summer, bachelor herds of males can be seen, as they are kept away from the herd by the dominant stag.
On a late summer's afternoon as you are walking back down the island, you will often see the deer in the fields to your left after you pass Quarter Wall gate on your way to the village. With all this said, I have seen the deer all over the island during my time there. I’ve been drinking my coffee in the tavern before work and seen them on the tennis lawn. As you walk around this beautiful island, keep quiet and stay vigilant, because the sika deer are always enchanting.
