Harvest is well underway but with deer about, although everything looks fine and dandy, all is not quite as it appears from the ground. Once on a combine harvester, you are above the crop and can see the many trails left by deer wandering around. Corn ears are eaten and large areas can be trampled and squashed where they lay down with yields being adversely affected.
Their present large numbers are a scourge for growers and woodland alike. Fruit trees are damaged as the deer go after the ripening fruit. Groups of deer roam freely between different farms at will, thereby making a mockery of Stock Movement Records on local farms.
While we might all agree they are truly beautiful creatures, when there are too many in any one area they become vermin. On a serious health note with more deer about the risk of can catching Lymes Disease from the tics they carry increases too.
I don’t think they can like the taste of hops, damage in the hop gardens seems to be reserved for generally trashing plants. One plant or a small area will appear to be singled out then destroyed by butting and dancing around and on them. Often you will only find the remnants of bines and broken strings all in a mushy heap around the hop hill. Occasionally if a stag is surprised he will take off, his antlers catching and breaking hop strings as he goes.
