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Muntjac Hunting, UK

Hunting Season: No Close Season (Bucks are in hard antler from September – April/May

Muntjac are an Asiatic which display primitive characteristics in having visible upper canine tusks and simple antlers growing from long pedicles. The indian sub species was first imported to the UK to Woburn Abbey in 1893 by the 11th Duke of Bedfordshire to be replaced later by the smaller Reeves Muntjac. It was also the Duke who was responsible for the introduction of Himalayan tahr to New Zealand, and similarly how tahr can only be shot in New Zealand, the United Kingdom is the only country where Muntjac can now be legally hunted. A number of deliberate releases were undertaken in the 1940’s and 50’s and Muntjac have slowly but sure;y now colonised much of Southern England. This colonisation has been assisted by further releases, escapees from captive stocks and natural range expansion. In the last 3 decades muntjac numbers in all areas of the UK have increased dramatically.

By 1996 only 5 counties in England lacked muntjac, but the core of their range comprisesthe counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk and Warwickshire. We arrange Hunting tours for Muntjac in Norfolk, there is a very healthy population of these lovely little deer on our areas, and is the only county where there are large numbers of Red Deer present as well. We can also arrange cokbined hunts with Roe Deer here as well.
Muntjac grow a glossy chestnut brown summer coat during April/May, with a darker thicker coat in the winter months. The front of their legs is black and their 15cm tail is white underneath and ginger on top. When alarmed the tail is held erect showing a white flag, otherwise it is held down and completely covers the small white rump patch. Facial patterns are most distinctive. Bucks have a ginger face with a dark V shaped running up from the black muzzle to the top of the pedicles. Does (and young bucks until they grow their first set of antlers) have a browner face and a and a dark diamond shaped marking – the top of the head being black.Both Bucks and Does have prominent sub-orbital glands on theinside of the pedicles. Both have an extremely long tongue with which they are able to lick most of their face. Both sexes have permanent upper canine tusks, but those of Bucks protrude well below the upper lip, making up a huge asset for this wonderful trophy. He thus has both antlers and external visible tusks. A muntjac’s rump is slightly higher than its shoulders and the back is rounded giving them a hunched appearance resembling more a pig than a deer.
Muntjac only stand 45-50cm at the shoulder so tend to fray or chew off bark to mark territory at about 30cm from the ground, they will browse higher and not unknown to stand on their back legs to reach heights of up to 1m.Muntjac typically prefer deciduous woods with a thick under storey of coppice, rhododendron and bramble (their favourite food) but they also enjoy coniferous woodlands and scrub. Their preferred food is the buds and leaves of deciduous shrubs, flowers and fungi, as a result they are considered to be a pest by many, due to the consuming of Many wild flowers and other plants of botanical interest.
They are generally solitary (particularly the bucks) but can be found in family groups of two or three. A doe can be found with her fawn for about 6 months after birth, when she chases it away because another one will be due. One or more bucks will often join a female and young at a feeding site for a few days while the doe is in oestrus.
Muntjac only stand 45-50cm at the shoulder so tend to fray or chew off bark to mark territory at about 30cm from the ground, they will browse higher and not unknown to stand on their back legs to reach heights of up to 1m.Muntjac typically prefer deciduous woods with a thick under storey of coppice, rhododendron and bramble (their favourite food) but they also enjoy coniferous woodlands and scrub. Their preferred food is the buds and leaves of deciduous shrubs, flowers and fungi, as a result they are considered to be a pest by many, due to the consuming of Many wild flowers and other plants of botanical interest.
They are generally solitary (particularly the bucks) but can be found in family groups of two or three. A doe can be found with her fawn for about 6 months after birth, when she chases it away because another one will be due. One or more bucks will often join a female and young at a feeding site for a few days while the doe is in oestrus.
The muntjac is unique amongst British Deer in that it breeds continuously throughout the year; this is in fact the reason why there is no close season for Muntjac in the UK not because they are non-native species. They only give birth to single fawns which become fertile at about 7 months, giving birth to their first fawn at 14 months and subsequent fawns at every 7 months. When a female is in season she often attracts a number of bucks and chasing and fights can result. The Muntjac Buck is fertile at all stages of his antler cycle and becomes sexually mature at about 9 months. Both the Antlers and tusks are used in fights and severe wounds can be inflicted despite the thick skin on the buck’s neck. Tusks are often damaged in these fights and if this happens a bucks fighting ability is weakened and he may be pushed out of a good territory.
Adult bucks defend and try to exclude other mature bucks from a territory marked by fraying, scrapes, dung piles and scent marks. The Bucks territory often covers the home range of several does which may in turn overlap each other.
Muntjac are restless animals and seem to be constantly on the move often following well-worn tracks and tunnels through thick cover. They seem to have shorter feeding and resting times than other deer and are constantly marking plants and twigs with their glandular secretions to communicate with each other. This restlessness makes them an incredible tough deer to stalk, because more often than not they will not WAIT ABOUT LONG ENOUGH FOR THE STALKER TO GET INTO THE FIRING POSITION. That coupled with their small size make a prone position shot almost impossible if there is any cover so As a result we do conduct many hunts for muntjac out of blinds or high seats.
The muntjac is also known as the Barking Deer and have a single high pitched repetitive bark when they suspect danger. Barking may also be accompanied by stamping of forefeet, and bucks make clicks if irritated or threatening another buck. A buck’s small first antlers which lack pedicles start to develop at 8-11 months of age. Some mature bucks never carry more than spike antlers above a small coronet but most mature bucks have short inwardly hooked antlers and will also show small brow tines on each side. On our hunting ground Gold, Silver and Bronze medal animals are shot annually.

Cull Hunting Available
This Hunt can be combined with Most UK hunting

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