Deer in Phoenix Park

Zascar

Can anyone shed some light on this for me please? I'm told it's deer rutting season, and its apparently a fantastic opportunity to take photos. Some friends are going up at dawn on Saturday but I can't make it. I've always wanted to but I've never actually gone up to see the Deer. Just wondering does anyone know how long this season lasts for, do they only rut in the morning, and where in the park you go to see them?

garhjw

my friend posted a picture of deer rutting at lunchtime yesterday. No idea how long the season is though....

Muahahaha

They're often hanging out a few hundred metres of the popes cross. Whats rutting btw? Is that when they bash antlers together to assert dominance?

Tar.Aldarion

Not sure how long it lasts but recommend seeing it, was watching them the other morning, magnificent animals. Love feedign them too, they can go through 1kg of carrots ina a few seconds, a carrot per chomp.

Yeah it is the antler battles. Was watching some youngun's do it with an older referee watching.

NothingMan

I was there 2 weeks ago on a Friday afternoon and there was one big antlered mofo strutting around grunting and whenever anyone with biggish antlers came near he ran them off. No antler smashing though. Did get some cool pics and they were a lot less timid then when they were calves (foals? Kids, baba's, ankle biters??? whatever they're called) and came right up to you.

ProudDUB

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Not sure how long it lasts but recommend seeing it, was watching them the other morning, magnificent animals. Love feedign them too, they can go through 1kg of carrots ina a few seconds, a carrot per chomp.

Yeah it is the antler battles. Was watching some youngun's do it with an older referee watching.

I hate to be a party pooper, but feeding the Phoenix Park deer is strictly prohibited.

http://www.phoenixpark.ie/media/Wild%20Deer%20Roam%20Freely%20In%20The%20Park.pdf

Carrots may be relatively harmless, but if the deer get into the habit of accepting food from humans, they could very easily take something that could kill them, from some eegit who doesn't know any better.

uck51js9zml2yt

ProudDUB wrote: »

I hate to be a party pooper, but feeding the Phoenix Park deer is strictly prohibited.

http://www.phoenixpark.ie/media/Wild%20Deer%20Roam%20Freely%20In%20The%20Park.pdf

Carrots may be relatively harmless, but if the deer get into the habit of accepting food from humans, they could very easily take something that could kill them, from some eegit who doesn't know any better.

Never knew that. Was up with my son a few months ago with a bag of carrots.

ProudDUB

ProudDUB wrote: »

I hate to be a party pooper, but feeding the Phoenix Park deer is strictly prohibited.

http://www.phoenixpark.ie/media/Wild%20Deer%20Roam%20Freely%20In%20The%20Park.pdf

Carrots may be relatively harmless, but if the deer get into the habit of accepting food from humans, they could very easily take something that could kill them, from some eegit who doesn't know any better.

THIS!

Please don't do this guys. The deer should maintain a healthy wariness of humans. Plus, you know people will start feeding them stale bread, and other odd leftovers.

ProudDUB

All it takes is some moron who thinks it would be great craic to feed them half a hamburger, or for a child to give them a gobstopper or chewing gum, that their intestines can't process & Lord knows what could happen to them. Leave the care and feeding of the PP deer to the experts. They are absolute treasures. They deserve to be left alone.

uck51js9zml2yt

[Deleted User] wrote: »

THIS!

Please don't do this guys. The deer should maintain a healthy wariness of humans. Plus, you know people will start feeding them stale bread, and other odd leftovers.

I think any notion of them being wary of people is long gone by my observations.
The problem is as you say people feeding them junk and not realising they are wild animals even if they will take a carrot from you.
One wrong move and those antlers can cause serious damage.

Tar.Aldarion

Yes you have to be very careful near them as they are wild animals, especially during certain months. Their antlers are half the size of me, they are amazing animals.

They are at their least wary of humans that they will be already I think, I've seen them being fed their whole lives and I've never even heard it wasn't allowed (although it's common sense I guess). When people are visiting Dublin they are always told to "go feed the deer it's great", I don't think there is enough warning. I don't like that there are roads through the park, it's quite dangerous for them and it ruins the park imo. They keep crossing in front of traffic.

uck51js9zml2yt

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Yes you have to be very careful near them as they are wild animals, especially during certain months. Their antlers are half the size of me, they are amazing animals.

They are at their least wary of humans that they will be already I think, I've seen them being fed their whole lives and I've never even heard it wasn't allowed (although it's common sense I guess). When people are visiting Dublin they are always told to "go feed the deer it's great", I don't think there is enough warning. I don't like that there are roads through the park, it's quite dangerous for them and it ruins the park imo. They keep crossing in front of traffic.

A friend was driving home through the park one dark night a few years ago and a deer ran out onto the road.
Needless to say, neither the deer nor the car survived the encounter.

Tar.Aldarion

They have run in front of my friend a few times in the last two weeks, I doubt they like living with that all these roads and traffic and of course the cars killing them.

Caliden

Amy Nutty Place wrote: »

A friend was driving home through the park one dark night a few years ago and a deer ran out onto the road.
Needless to say, neither the deer nor the car survived the encounter.

Not covered by insurance either I don't think.

Similar happened a friend, only difference is that the deer lived to tell the tale

Sacksian

Best bet to find them is follow the grass trail that's just off the top of Furze Road (at the junction with Ordnance Survey road). Walk down that, following it around to the right, sometimes they're closer to the trail around the back of Mary's Hospital, or over on the 15 acres. I think there's a few groups as you can find them by the cricket pavilion some days too.

I run the trails there everyday - running into them at night can be a little unnerving, but they're generally quite unmoved by runners; they'll part if the trail bisects a group but very nonchalantly.

Zascar

Found them! Thanks for the advice.

Muahahaha

great pic, wonderful colour in it

newacc2015

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

They have run in front of my friend a few times in the last two weeks, I doubt they like living with that all these roads and traffic and of course the cars killing them.

The most unusual deer story I heard was when I had to go to the zoo for TY. I jokingly said to one of the staff. Do the deer get ever get knocked down much? She said they has a bus full of school children last month. The bus was driving though the park and most of the children seen the deer running into the path of the bus and heard a smash. The bus driver killed a deer with a bus load of kids

Lovely Bloke

Won't be long until they start to round up the lucky few who get to have their noses dyed red for the month of December.

Usually about 5-10% of the males (depending on actual numbers) with antlers will be taken in in the coming weeks to have their noses dyed with a totally safe colourant.

It's a pretty great afternoon spent in the Park with a few kids trying to spot "Rudolf", one of the better things DCC do actually - sure beats traipsing around badly laid out "Xmas Markets" looking at non-Xmassy "craft artisan produce" anyway.

uck51js9zml2yt

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Won't be long until they start to round up the lucky few who get to have their noses dyed red for the month of December.

Usually about 5-10% of the males (depending on actual numbers) with antlers will be taken in in the coming weeks to have their noses dyed with a totally safe colourant.

It's a pretty great afternoon spent in the Park with a few kids trying to spot "Rudolf", one of the better things DCC do actually - sure beats traipsing around badly laid out "Xmas Markets" looking at non-Xmassy "craft artisan produce" anyway.

Never knew that !!
Let us know when it happens

Turtyturd

Had been driving through the park with the kids the last few weeks to try catch a glimpse of them with no luck, but last Sunday we went to the Zoo and when we finished up (bout half 3/4) we went up towards the Aras and turned left at the roundabout and there were about 15-20 of them on the football pitches.

A great sight and the kids were fascinated with the duels going on.

uck51js9zml2yt

Zascar wrote: »

Found them! Thanks for the advice.

Just saw your photo on the weather forecast on TV3.

congrats:D

Zascar

Thanks! Yeah I was delighted! Sent it in yesterday for the laugh, not expecting anything - and a friend told me she saw it, I did not even know, they didn't even tell me!

ProudDUB

Amy Nutty Place wrote: »

I think any notion of them being wary of people is long gone by my observations.
The problem is as you say people feeding them junk and not realising they are wild animals even if they will take a carrot from you.
One wrong move and those antlers can cause serious damage.

If their wariness of taking food from humans has dissipated, that in itself is the problem imo. It's not a reason to keep on feeding them. New babies are being born every year. They learn what to do from their parents. If people stop feeding them, they'll soon stop taking food that is perfectly fine for humans, but could be very harmful to the deer.

The animal experts and those charged with looking after the deer on a daily basis, specifically ask people not to feed them. They do that for a reason. I think that those views should be respected.

uck51js9zml2yt

ProudDUB wrote: »

If their wariness of taking food from humans has dissipated, that in itself is the problem imo. It's not a reason to keep on feeding them. New babies are being born every year. They learn what to do from their parents. If people stop feeding them, they'll soon stop taking food that is perfectly fine for humans, but could be very harmful to the deer.

The animal experts and those charged with looking after the deer on a daily basis, specifically ask people not to feed them. They do that for a reason. I think that those views should be respected.

Im not sure if what you suggest is possible at this stage even though its best practice.

Perhaps educating people to the dangers they pose rather than signs up which most will ignore is the way to go.

Amy Nutty Place

Amy Nutty Place wrote: »

Im not sure if what you suggest is possible at this stage even though its best practice.

Perhaps educating people to the dangers they pose rather than signs up which most will ignore is the way to go.

What Proud Dub says is true, if people stop feeding them, each generation will be born with a natural, healthy wariness of humans, as they should have.

But I know what you're saying, there will always be people who will ignore the rules because they want to feed the deer. That doesn't mean it's right to just ignore the problem.

ProudDUB

To be honest, I don't think that the majority of people who feed the deer, do so out of a deliberate attempt to flaunt a rule that they are well aware of. I think that they do so out of ignorance. What is the harm in giving a deer a carrot, or an apple....would be a question that a lot of well intentioned nature and animal lovers would ask.

They just don't think to take it a step further & think well what if the next person was a small child who handed them a piece of chewing gum from their pocket? Or what if the unwashed carrot had residue of pesticide on it, that could sicken a baby fawn? All they want is to show their kids a cute animal up close, but they don't stop to think of the consequences.

There are signs here in there in the park, telling people not to feed the deer, but they are woefully small. They are also very few and far between, considering the size of the place and how much the deer themselves like to roam.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Re feeding the deer.

I've been doing it for the last thirty years I've been using the park for training.

Until now I was totally unaware that it might be a problem, and have never noticed a sign prohibiting it.

I won't stop.

ProudDUB

Ishaan Bald Keynote wrote: »

Re feeding the deer.

I've been doing it for the last thirty years I've been using the park for training.

Until now I was totally unaware that it might be a problem, and have never noticed a sign prohibiting it.

I won't stop.

Next time you are there, drive into the car park at the Papal Cross. There is a sign @ the car park entrance telling people not to feed the deer. Just because there isn't a sign, where you normally go or train, is no excuse to keep on feeding them, now that you are aware that it is - is, not might be - a problem.

I also posted a link (from the official PP website) on the previous page, where it specifically says that feeding the deer is prohibited.

http://www.phoenixpark.ie/media/Wild%20Deer%20Roam%20Freely%20In%20The%20Park.pdf

If that isn't enough for you, I don't know what is.

ThinkProgress

Does anyone know when they cull the herd, is it possible to purchase some of the meat?

I'd love to say I ate venison from the phoenix park deer herd. They're beautiful animals, I'd imagine they taste amazing!

Polar101

ThinkProgress wrote: »

I'd love to say I ate venison from the phoenix park deer herd. They're beautiful animals, I'd imagine they taste amazing!

You would eat Bambi's mother? *gasp*
Besides, it sounds like these deer are on a pretty random diet.