Determination of sex and age of roe deer. Determining the sex and age of roe deer in natural conditions On one of the June days

Roe deer: determination of sex and age

DETERMINATION OF SEX AND AGE IN NATURAL CONDITIONS

With the rational management of the hunting economy, it does not matter what age the animals are shot. When hunting for commercial purposes, it is advisable to get more young and males, and leave old females for the reproduction of offspring. In a sporting area, when it is necessary to grow large males with valuable trophies, it is advisable to selectively shoot so that a sufficient number of young, but also with good inclinations, males remain in the grounds.

Young animals of the current year of birth are relatively easy to distinguish from older animals by their smaller overall size. It is much more difficult to identify 1.5-year-old individuals. The following signs may help in determining: 1.5-year-old males usually have styloid horns or two ends on each horn. There are no calves near females at this age; they either graze two or three individuals separately from others, or join family groups. The main difference between 1.5-year-olds and older individuals is a slightly shortened neck and head. Their fur cover is the most beautiful, without bald spots and shreds of old wool.

The age of a shot roe deer is most easily determined by the teeth, although it can be preliminarily estimated by the overall body size and weight, and in males by the horns. Large thick horns, as a rule, are possessed by animals older than 4 years of age.

Roe deer, like all ruminants, do not have front teeth (incisors and canines) in the upper jaw. The food is captured by pressing it with the teeth on the lower jaw to the hard, keratinized anterior margin of the palate. There are two ways to determine the age of a roe deer by the teeth: less accurately, by the wear of the chewing surface of the molars or by the height of the tooth crown; more precisely, by the number of dark bands on sections or microscopic sections of softened (decalcified) teeth, incisors or molars.

Microsections of incisors are best done on a freezing microtome stained with hematoxylin. In this case, the axis of the cut should run along the tooth. Sawing a molar for grinding is most advisable to do in the area between the roots.

Roe deer, like other animals of the temperate zone, are characterized by seasonal changes in all physiological functions of the body (nutrition, reproduction, molting, etc.). All these changes are reflected in the thickness, density of dentin and cement in the root of the teeth. On a thin section or on a thin, specially colored, colored section, dark narrow stripes of the winter period and wide stripes of the summer period are visible. According to them, as on a tree stump, the number of years of a given animal is calculated.

When comparing the age of roe deer, estimated by the wear of molars and microsections, it was revealed that in some cases there is a noticeable discrepancy in these indicators. So, in one female roe deer, obtained in the foothills of the Sayan Mountains, the crowns of the molars were erased almost to the gums. According to the thin section, it was established that her age was only 5.5 years. In this case, the roe deer either spent a lot of time on salt licks and chewed on salted earth, or lived in an area where the plants were rich in silicon.

The age limit for roe deer in captivity reaches 15 years, and among the shot Siberian roe deer, the oldest was a male at the age of 11 years 6 months.

M. A. Lavov. ROE. HUNTING FOR UNGATES.-Publishing house "Forest industry", 1976

Roe deer, or wild goat (Capreolus), is a genus of wild goats distinguished by horns with three processes. The representative of the genus, the common roe deer (Capreolus sargea), is one of the most famous European deer. Let's take a closer look at the animal roe deer - how it lives, hunts, breeds and much more.

A newborn roe deer calf has a total body length of 45, a head length of 12, an ear of 7, a hind leg of 30, a front leg of 24, and a body height at the scruff of the neck.
11 centimeters and seems at this time rather helpless due to the discrepancy between too long limbs and the overall length of the body.

They are red-brown in color, and the sides of the body are decorated with three longitudinal rows of white spots. After about a year and a half, the roe deer reaches its full height, has a total body length of 1-1.5 meters and a height at the sacrum of 75 centimeters. At this time, the croup of the animal is slightly higher than the scruff.

Its head is short, the neck, like the short body, is slender, in females it is longer and thinner, in males it is shorter and thicker. The legs are thin, the front feet reach 45, the hind feet are 48 centimeters long, equipped with small sharp hooves of a beautiful black color.

These legs make the animal capable of quick and dexterous movements. The head of a roe deer is distinguished by ears covered with hair both on the outside and on the inside, especially with its large expressive eyes.

The roe deer does not have an external tail. The weight of a roe deer is very different and depends not only on age, but also on nutritional conditions - it can reach 30 kilograms. The coloration of roe deer in summer is different than in winter. In the warm season, its coat is from gray to reddish-brown in color, while in the cold it is brownish-gray.

The underside of the body is lighter than the top. The chin, lower jaw, a spot on each side of the upper lip, and in winter also the buttocks are white - the last part of the body is yellowish in summer and was called “mirror” (Spiegel) by German hunters.

A remarkable feature of the mirror is the mobility of its hair. The animal can, at will, either dissolve or collect them. The mirror of a wary animal becomes wider, and it is possible that by expanding its fellow roe deer, they are also invited to be on their guard. On the other hand, while the animals are grazing, the mirror falls down and seems small.

Thus, the mirror is characterized, as it were, by facial expressions expressing various spiritual moods, and its frequent trembling during grazing contributes, in all likelihood, to the removal of annoying insects.

In addition to the normally colored wild goats, there are occasional color differences: white, black, and mottled.

White roe deer, which in most cases also have white hooves and red eyes and are thus albinos, are born not only from similar albinos, but also from normally colored parents.

The dark coloration is transmitted to offspring much more easily than the albinistic one - where one black roe deer appears, there, after a short period of time, many can already be seen. The breeding of black roe deer would therefore not present any difficulties.

How long does a roe deer live - determining age by teeth and horns

The roe deer reaches the age of 15-16 years, in some cases it lived up to 20 years or more. Determining the age of an animal, however, is not easy, and is best done by looking at the teeth. The final dentition consists of 32 teeth, which are sometimes joined by a pair of so-called toes, i.e. weak upper canines, which are more common in young roe deer than in adults, and in females more often than in males. However, hooks are not uncommon in these latter.

The lower canines, on the contrary, never exist, just like the upper incisors. There are always 8 incisors in the lower jaw, while the number of molars changes with age. The size and shape of the teeth in general in the milk system are also different than in the final system.

Thus, the milk incisors are much smaller than those that the animal subsequently receives, and the third molar of the milk system consists of three folds, while the final one consists of only two. In view of the fact that the change of teeth occurs gradually and individual teeth change in certain, definite months of life, it is possible to determine the age of the animal from the dental system, which plays a certain role in the hunting law.

From what has been said, it is clear that once the head of a dead roe deer is cut off, determining its age becomes impossible: the size of the animal and individual parts of its body may depend entirely on the conditions of its nutrition.

No more points of support in relation to age are given by horns, which hunters nevertheless often use for this purpose. But, of course, the development of antlers is closely related to the sexual maturity of the roe deer. Experiments have shown that in roe deer castrated in early youth, normal horns do not develop at all, but only completely deformed growths, the so-called wigs, appear.

Exactly the same irregular horns appear in an animal if its seminal glands are damaged by a shot. In those cases, if a goat was castrated, having already completely formed horns, he did not shed them at all. No less remarkable is the fact that the removal or damage of only one seminal gland entails the disfigurement of only one horn, and, moreover, the opposite side of the body.

Roe deer horns

The shape of the new horns is determined already four weeks after the fall of the old ones, precisely in the last half of January. Normally, each of the horns of an adult goat has no more than three, and both together, therefore, no more than six processes. The roe deer acquires these so-called six-pointed horns very quickly and its further age becomes indeterminate by the horns. Until that time, however, four stages can be established in the development of the horns.

Already at the age of four months, approximately in September, the frontal bone of the animal becomes convex, and in October or early November, weak, palpable elevations appear on the outside of the head in two places of the head, indicated by sharp tufts of hair.

In mid-December, the scalp in these places rises and “pipes”, or coronal tubercles, are already formed under it, which are located obliquely inward and directed to each other. When measured from the frontal bone, they are up to 15 mm long and about 7 mm thick.

By February or March of the next year, rods are formed on them, having a length of 1-2, in exceptional cases up to 54 centimeters - normally these rods do not yet have a corolla - a horny fold located directly under the coronary tubercle. The skin is shed from these first horns in February or March, and the horns themselves usually fall off in December of the same year.

As an exception, however, they remain and lead to the formation of double horns. This stage is followed by the second, which differs in that the horn does not yet have a sharp end and a real rim, which is represented on them by a ring of horny tubercles. These horns are shed in December of the following year, that is, when the animal has reached the age of 2.5 years.

Only in the next stage, the forked one, do the horns for the first time acquire real sharp ends and become an instrument of struggle, and the animal becomes sexually mature. The name "forked" stage was due to the fact that the horns had split at this time at the end and, thus, made up a fork. The development of antlers in roe deer ends with the next, six-pointed stage.

On properly formed horns, a sharp, backward-directed process forms, with the anterior and superior process, usually an oblique cross, which is why in some localities, namely in Bavaria, such horns are called cruciform, while in other localities only those are called cruciform, the anterior and posterior processes of which are located as times against each other.

With the correct course of horn development, the goat receives the first true six-pointed horns at the age of four years. Both the total length of the horns of an adult goat and the distance between their peaks are subject to various fluctuations. The first is on average 20 centimeters, but there are goats in which it reaches 30 centimeters.

Too long horns, however, reach, however, much less often the degree of tuberosity that is characteristic of shorter horns.

The distance between the tops of the horns can reach up to 21 centimeters, but it can also be zero, since there are goats in which the tops of the horns touch. On average, this distance is 10-12 centimeters. It was not possible to prove any regularity between the total length of the horns and the distance of their peaks, and the latter is less for the longest than for the middle ones. It sometimes happens that the tops of the horns are bent inward and such horns to a certain extent resemble horns.

Roe deer antler coloring

The light or dark color of the horns depends on the food and health of the animal, as well as on the tree species, on the trunks of which the roe deer erases the skin from the horns. So, the tannin contained in the bark of the oak stains them dark brown: in general, dark horns come across in deciduous plantations more often than in coniferous forests, already due to the nutrition of animals; the antlers of roe deer, found in pine forests growing on sandy soil, are especially bright.

Horns originating from the same locality are usually very similar to each other. So, in all Central European wild goats, the horns of old males have very close corollas, often touching and even often preventing each other from developing. On the other hand, in the east, especially in Siberia, in Altai, in the roe deer, which, however, can be recognized as a special subspecies, we see horns that differ significantly from Central European ones. Their corollas are much smaller, they never touch, but on the contrary, they are distant from each other, often by 5 centimeters, and the horns themselves are weak, have a bend characteristic of deer antlers, reach a very large length and branch in a very peculiar way, although six-pointed horns prevail here.

Horns of barren roe deer

The horns that accidentally appear in female wild goats have a completely different look. In very old, barren females, slight elevations on the skull are often noticed in those places where the horns are placed in males - often these are only insignificant, although they are sitting on the coronal tubercles, the skin of which is not shed, but sometimes they are in the form of horns with completely wiped skin.

Roe deer with similar horns in most cases, however, not true females, but sterile animals are hermaphrodites, sometimes very old individuals with abnormal genitals. However, mechanical damage to the forehead can also give rise to the development of horns in a female - in one, for example, a roe deer, a piece of glass that has penetrated into the place where the horns develop in the male caused the appearance of a weakly branched formation, which had a length of 11.6 centimeters. The antlers that develop in females apparently never shed.

In males, they are shed approximately in the middle of December, and after four months, therefore, in mid-April, the new horns have already reached their full development and the skin from them is usually already torn off at this time.

Where does a wild goat or roe deer live?

The wild goat is distributed between 30° and 60° N. lat. and between 6° west. and 140° east. longitude. With the exception of the Far North, it is found, therefore, throughout almost all of Europe and in most of Asia. At present, it is still common in Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, England, Scotland, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and Russia.

In Switzerland, the wild goat is almost completely exterminated, while in Turkey and Greece it is rare. It does not exist at all in Northern Europe and Central Russia, but it appears again in Ukraine.

In Asia, it is found in the Caucasus, in Armenia, Palestine and in the wooded parts of Central and Southern Siberia, spreading in the east to the mouth of the Amur, and in the south to the Himalayas.

In the high uplands of Central Asia, however, roe deer are rare. Its favorite habitat is not vast continuous forests, but islands of forest scattered across open areas. The wild goat does not prefer areas overgrown with pure coniferous forests, but those where deciduous plantations border on meadows abundantly overgrown with flowering plants and grass. She loves a forest made up of plantations of various ages, and not one in which the closed tops of the trees formed a canopy impenetrable to the sun's rays and drowned out the growth of shrubs, grass and other plants.

Roe deer food

The wild goat prefers plantations in which oaks, beeches, bird cherry, mountain ash, buckthorn and so on come across, does not disdain the artificial admixture of wild chestnut and pear - in a word, she loves tree species with falling fruits.

The bushes, with their branches, foliage, and buds, must provide her with abundant, varied food, and consist of all the species that can grow in the area, not excluding our conifers. Raspberries, blackberries, heather, blueberries and other berry bushes, together with grass and shamrocks of small forest clearings, further diversify the roe deer's food, give it a safe haven and a cool lair.

How a roe deer screams

Spring has arrived in the region. In, silent in winter, the voice of a roe deer is constantly heard. The sounds it makes do not always mean that the animal has discovered something suspicious and, carefully circling around it, tries to warn other roe deer.

Far often with the same sounds, a local male calls another goat that has appeared on his site to fight. But in the first case, these sounds are drawn out, in the second, the sound is short, sharp and abrupt.

Having heard a drawn-out warning, wild goats immediately raise their heads and become alert - on the other hand, they pay absolutely no attention to the call to battle and leave the wrestlers to themselves. A screaming goat cannot be distinguished from a female by the pitch of its sound, but easily by the way the male produces it.

Roe deer estrus and breeding

Estrus begins already in June and, apparently, occurs even in some one-year-old roe deer - at least sometimes it happens that a goat is chasing such a roe deer, and she quickly utters a cry of fear several times in a row. A week later, strong goats become much hotter and females can hardly defend themselves against them, especially since the male puts into action, if necessary, force: females often die from the blows of his horns.

The female does not always immediately give in to the caresses of the male and usually circles around him for a long time. In flat areas, estrus is in full swing at the end of July, and in mountainous countries of medium height - a week later. However, it is delayed until mid-August.

The goat chasing the female makes a hoarse sound, more and more insistently he approaches his girlfriend, not missing his goal for a minute and immediately covers the female as soon as she stops. Then he collapses in exhaustion and immediately lies down, while the female usually urinates. For the most part, with one male there are two or three females, but where there are few of them, he is content with one.

During estrus, and for the most part immediately after mating, the egg leaves the ovary and enters the oviduct, where it meets the seed and is fertilized. In a short time, at most a few days, it manages to pass the oviduct and enters the uterus, maintaining its former size.

It remains here for four and a half months, hence until the second half of December, also hardly developing. As a result, it is very easy to view it here, especially since the uterus does not undergo any changes at this time. Even a specialist can hardly find it.

But from mid-December, the egg suddenly begins to develop and, moreover, so quickly that all its parts and all the organs of the embryo are so formed within 21-25 days that then it remains only for them to increase in growth. Pregnancy lasts forty weeks - in May, the female calves in some secluded place in the forest with one or two cubs, which can follow the mother in a few hours.

Sometimes there are three calves, but four are very rare. At the time of estrus, the calves lag behind their mother, but at the end they reconnect with her.

Little by little, one-year-old goats join them, so that by September the whole family is assembled. At the end of this month, several families merge into one herd, in which, however, there are only rarely more than 8-10 heads. Now the molt begins again, which moves forward, depending on the weather, either faster or quieter - in mid-October it is already difficult to meet a roe deer in a red outfit.

Around this time, some strong males begin to shed their horns, while most lose them only in November. In some places and in certain years, old goats with horns tightly set on their heads can be found as early as December, even in January.

Essay based on the encyclopedia "European Animals".

With the optimal management of hunting farms, it is indifferent to what age the animals are shot. When hunting for commercial purposes, it is purposeful to get more young and males, and leave old females for the reproduction of offspring. In the sport sector, when it is necessary to grow large males with valuable trophies, it is better to conduct selective shooting so that a sufficient number of young males with good inclinations of males remain in the grounds.

Juveniles of the current year of birth are relatively easy to distinguish from older animals by their smallest overall size. It is much more difficult to isolate 1.5-year-old individuals. The following signs may help in determining: 1.5-year-old males usually have styloid horns or two ends on each horn. There are no calves near females at this age; they graze either two or three individuals separately from others, or they join family groups. The main difference between 1.5-year-olds and older individuals is a somewhat shortened neck and head. Their fur cover is more beautiful, without bald spots and shreds of old wool.

The age of a shot roe deer is easiest to determine by the teeth, although earlier it can be estimated by the total body size and weight, and in males by the horns. Large thick horns are usually owned by animals older than 4 years of age.

Roe, like all ruminants, has no frontal teeth (incisors and canines) in the upper jaw. The food is captured by pressing it with the teeth on the lower jaw to the hard keratinized frontal edge of the palate. You can find the age of a roe deer by teeth in 2 ways: the least accurate - by the wear of the chewing surface of the molars or by the height of the tooth crown; more precisely, by the number of black stripes on thin sections or microscopic sections of softened (decalcified) teeth, incisors or molars.

Incisor microsections are ideally created on a freezing microtome stained with hematoxylin. With all this, the axis of the incision should pass along the tooth. Sawing a molar for grinding is more purposefully done in the area between the roots.

The roe deer, like other animals of the temperate zone, is characterized by seasonal changes in all physiological functions of the body (nutrition, reproduction, molting, etc.). All these changes are reflected in the thickness, density of dentin and cement in the root of the teeth. On a thin section or on a narrow section colored with a special color, black narrow stripes of the winter period and a wide one of the summer period are visible. According to them, as on a tree stump, the number of years of a given animal is calculated.

When comparing the age of roe deer, estimated by the wear of molars and microsections, it was revealed that in some cases there is a noticeable discrepancy in these indicators. So, in one female roe deer, caught in the foothills of the Sayan Mountains, the crowns of the molars were erased almost to the gums. According to the thin section, it was found that age she was only 5.5 years old. In this case roe or spent a lot of time on salt licks and chewed on salted earth, or lived in such an area where the plants were with a huge amount of silicon.

Ultimate age roe deer achieves 15 years in captivity, and among the shot Siberian roe deer, it turned out to be older male at the age of 11 years 6 months.

Accounting for the number

It is impossible to purposefully manage roe deer populations without knowing their numbers. However, there is hardly any method of counting the number of these animals that can be called absolutely reliable and accurate. All methods used in practice serve only as a rough estimate.

The difficulty in determining the number of roe deer can be shown by the example of several well-known experiments. In one of the enclosures with an area of ​​75 hectares, according to the accounting data, there were 12 individuals; total shooting gave 25 (Ueckermann, 1951). In Denmark, in a forest area of ​​340 hectares with an estimated number of animals of 70 individuals, 312 were caught, i.e. 3 times more than what was taken into account. In another fenced forest area of ​​220 ha, where 125 animals were counted, 161 were shot, but even after that, roe deer remained there (Andersen, 1953; Strandgaard, 1972).

An error in determining the number of roe deer, ranging from 20 to 100%, is common. In some cases, it can be significantly higher, especially with relative accounting methods. Overestimation of numbers in estimates is much less common than underestimation, and this should be borne in mind when planning the shooting.

Three groups of methods are usually used to estimate the abundance:
1) visual observations (this includes the method of driving game);
2) accounting for traces or droppings;
3) statistical calculation of abundance based on production.

Relatively accurate estimate of the abundance of the improved method of Petersen, or Lincoln index (Bailey, 1951). A prerequisite for its use is that at least 75% of individuals in a population are tagged (Strandgaard, 1972, 1975). With a smaller number of them, there should be a large number of observations. The formula for calculating the number is as follows:

N=M(n+1)/x+1

where N is the population size; M is the number of labeled individuals; n is the total number of observations; x is the number of sightings of labeled individuals.

Unfortunately, with all the advantages of this method, it is laborious and suitable only for scientific research.

A good accounting method is year-round monitoring of the roe deer population, which makes it possible not only to find out the number of animals in a local area, but also allows you to establish the ratio of sexes and age classes, i.e. determine the structure of populations and trends in its development. However, it requires a qualified specialist or hunter to register each observation made, takes a lot of time and is suitable mainly for scientific research. The combination of ambush and stealth is most effective for this purpose (Boisaubert, 1979).

The often recommended method of counting the population of animals on control days in spring at the very beginning of the growing season can only be used in coniferous forests. In the deciduous forest at this time there is a concentration of animals caused by the appearance of primroses, which leads to an overestimation of the number.

The best time to count the number of roe deer in the forests is the end of winter and the beginning of spring, but even in the most favorable case, only about 50% of the roe deer living in the area can be seen during one day (Strandgaard, 1972; Pedroliet al., 1981).

In the fields, collective repeated sittings in the main biotopes make it possible to obtain completely accurate data. Relatively quickly, the number of field roe deer is determined by linear census from a car (Zejda, 1984, 1985). Accounting for routes 30 km long is preferable than 10 km. The method of accounting for abundance through the index of density per kilometer of distance (Vincent, 1982) is still more suitable for determining the trend in population development than for absolute accounting. Game counts on transects of indeterminate width in open landscapes are reliable (Darman, 1987).

The counting of game with the help of a run is relatively accurate, but laborious, requiring 8-10 beaters and 6-8 observers. Sometimes more than 100 people are involved in combing the area (Stangl, Margl, 1977).

All methods for estimating the number of roe deer by direct observation of them are laborious, but they have the advantage that, based on their results, one can also draw conclusions about the sex and age structure of the population, its quality and growth. Methods for recording animals by traces of their vital activity are simpler, but they are still not sufficiently developed.

The most common route count of animals is based on footprints in the snow (Kuzyakin, 1979), but for roe deer it gives very large errors, since the animals live in small groups in a very small area, are active during the day and gravitate towards the edges. The "spiral" counting method is more accurate (Berge, 1969); at the same time, traces are searched for regardless of roads and clearings along narrowing circles (spirals), starting from the outer edges of the site towards the center.

The best time to count tracks is 5-6 hours after the end of the snowfall. At the end of winter, an increase in the activity of roe deer should be taken into account. The structure of the forest can have a significant influence on the number of tracks, as can the effect of the edge zone (Buttner, 1983).

A conclusion about the relative abundance of game can be made based on the frequency of occurrence of droppings in the control areas, which should be cleared of all droppings before the onset of winter. The frequency of defecation of animals varies depending on the time of year, nutrition, age, sex, living conditions, which can have a significant impact on the accuracy of accounting. For example, in Poland it was found that roe deer leaves 14.9 heaps of litter per day in spring, 5.3 in summer, 4.2 in autumn and 3.75 in winter (Dzieciolowski, 1976). In Lithuania in winter there are on average 15.6 of them (Padaiga, 1970; Padaiga, Marma, 1979), and in the Far East - 36.2 (Darman, 1986).

The formula for determining the population density of game in sedentary populations in this way is as follows (Briedermann, 1982):

N = M x 10000 / n x S x f x t

where N is the population size; M - number of bowel movements; n is the number of control sites; S is the size of the control area, in m2; f - frequency of defecation of one individual; t - research period in days.

All methods of accounting for the number of beds, body proportions, or the degree of damage to plants are not suitable for practical work.

At present, in the hunting economy, the determination of the "previous" number on the basis of long-term hunting statistics is widespread. The prerequisites for this are as follows: the data must correspond to the actual shooting; natural losses are considered insignificant; growth and sex ratio correspond to the situation that has developed in reality. The average figure of annual production for the last 4 years is considered equivalent to growth. The multiplier coefficient for the conditional increase in game females, which is 110%, is 1.86; with 100% growth, the estimated number is determined by its doubled value at a 1:1 sex ratio. This method also does not provide accurate data, but in some regions it is possible to use it to issue directives regarding the reduction or increase in the size of production.

A significantly more accurate result for any population is obtained if, in addition, the age and sex of the harvested individuals are taken into account (Stubbe, 1966, 1979). Nevertheless, the error of this method lies in the inaccurate determination of the age and in the incorrect assessment of the level of natural mortality of roe deer.

In the Asian part of the range, in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, aerial surveys are most preferable. This is practically the only way to calculate the number of migratory populations. Accounting from airplanes and helicopters as a whole turns out to be more economical, efficient and accurate than ground based. For work on board, 3 people are needed, the optimal flight altitude is 100-150 m (Egorov, Popov, 1964; Konechnykh et al., 1964; Pole, 1966; Popov, 1970; Smirnov, 19706; Baikalov, Semenov, 1971; Shuteev, 1973 ; Nikolaev, 1982).

In addition to those listed above, there are many other ways of counting populations (Berge, 1969), but they all suffer from a lack of accuracy.

Thus, there is not yet a sufficiently reliable and accurate method for counting roe deer, but, despite this, one cannot refuse to estimate the number, since this is the basis of economic use. Depending on local conditions, preference should be given to one of the methods or a combination of several. In our opinion, only year-round observations of the local population will be able to provide the most accurate information about both the abundance and sex ratio, the structure of age classes, and the growth and quality of the population.

Sex and age determination

Determination of sex, as a rule, is not difficult. In summer, males are easily recognizable by their horns, in winter by a long tuft of hair located on the penis, clearly visible under the belly. It is more difficult to identify annual males with barely growing horns; here you should pay attention to the scrotum. Female roe deer, unlike males, are hornless in summer. In winter, they are easy to identify by a tuft of hair protruding from the vulva, which is clearly distinguished by a yellow spot against the background of a white mirror (Fig. 1).

Rice. Fig. 1. Distinctive sexual characteristics in males (A) and females (B) of roe deer in winter (Fig. V.M. Gudkov)

Determination of age is one of the most important and most difficult problems in the economic use of roe deer. From a distance, it is hardly possible to accurately determine the age of an animal over a year in females and two years in males. The task is greatly facilitated by the fact that the exploited population contains a small number of old animals; most individuals are young and middle-aged.

Cubs differ from adult roe deer in body size until the next spring. Their figure undergoes certain changes with age. One-year-olds of both sexes do not have a massive body, so that their legs seem relatively long, and the croup is slightly raised behind; after the autumn molt, these differences largely disappear.

Two-year-old males look more robust than one-year-olds, but still slender. The body of 4-5-year-old males that have reached their maximum weight seems to be squat, the legs are short.

Such a figure is characteristic all the time while the male is at the highest point of his development. Elderly males often regain the body shape characteristic of young individuals (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Age differences in physique in roe deer
A - young; B - middle-aged; B - old individuals (males and females)
(Fig. V.M. Gudkov)

One-year-old females have no udder in summer. In winter wool, a confident distinction between them and older females is hardly possible. Older females are usually angular, bony and skinny, but in many cases they are indistinguishable from younger ones.

Other signs in determining the age of roe deer can be the shape of the head and neck and the color of the muzzle. One-year-olds have a narrow head; gradually it becomes wider, especially in males, and therefore appears shorter. The neck of the latter is thin and long, set vertically when moving. Over the years, it becomes thicker, more powerful and leans lower.

Nevertheless, the situation in which the animals are located should be taken into account: young animals also tilt their necks when feeding; disturbed adult males, on the other hand, hold their neck upright.

Assessment of the age of animals by the color of the muzzle is possible only in the case of a completely completed molt, approximately from June to August. From the end of August, the hair color begins to change again as a result of the autumn molt, which can lead to an incorrect determination. The muzzle of one-year-olds has a single-color dark, sometimes black color. However, in developed males, the white spot on the nose is already well expressed, in two-year-old males it is always clearly demarcated, but increases in size with age, the white color is lost and turns into gray. In aging males, due to gray hair, the forehead turns gray, gray hair extends to the eyes and gradually the whole head becomes gray. Dark gray rings around the eyes ("glasses") are a distinctive feature of old males (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. Age-related variability in male head coloration
A - young; B- middle-aged; B - old
(Fig. V.M. Gudkov)

The color of the muzzle, and indeed the color of the animal, is estimated by the observer in different ways, depending on the weather and the degree of illumination. In addition, coloration is subject to very large individual differences. Therefore, this method is suitable only for determining young and old animals, but not for accurately assessing the age of roe deer.

Horns are also used to determine the age of males. The absence of processes always indicates that these horns are the first, but some one-year-old individuals have processes. In adult males, horns without processes are very rare, the bases and shafts of the horns are always thickened.

A fairly reliable indicator of age is the height of the bases of the horns, which, due to the annual shedding of the horns, decreases from year to year.

Males with bases of horns "planted" directly on the skull and partially covered with hair are old.

Many hunters often make the mistake of considering, first of all, the crown of horns as a criterion of age. The so-called "crown", or "coronal" processes are observed in all age classes, but among one-year-old animals there are practically no individuals with processes of horns directed backward; they are found only in older age classes.

The timing of formation, de-skinning, and shedding of antlers is also highly dependent on age. Adult males shed their horns first and form new ones about 3 weeks earlier than young ones and clear them of their skin. In some old specimens of the European roe deer, antlers are fully formed already at the end of February, in middle-aged males - in mid-March, while in one-year-old individuals, their development begins only in March (see Fig. 4). The formation of horns is greatly influenced by the general physical condition of individuals. At the same age, animals in particularly good physical condition clear their antlers a few weeks earlier, giving the appearance of being older. Wintering conditions can affect the timing of horn formation for all individuals.

Rice. 4. The level of development of horns in male roe deer of different age groups
A - underyearlings, B - half-adults, C - adults; I - V - months

A distinctive feature in determining the age of roe deer is, to some extent, molting. In spring, one-year-olds usually molt first. Middle-aged males change color only by mid-June. Females molt a little later than males in spring, which is associated with pregnancy and lactation.

Autumn molting occurs in the same sequence. First, young individuals lose their summer color, then middle-aged individuals, and lastly, old ones. The period from mid-September to mid- or late October is the most favorable time for determining the age of roe deer on this basis.

The delay in molting is most often due to diseases or caused by metabolic disorders. Such animals are to be shot.

Their behavior largely contributes to determining the age of roe deer. One-year-old individuals can be observed together with their mother for a relatively long time, sometimes up to childbirth. This age class is characterized by playful behavior, curiosity and less caution. Based on the behavior of two-year-old and older males, it is impossible to determine the exact age, but it is possible to draw a conclusion about "younger" and "older" animals. Over the years, animals become more cautious and distrustful, and, as a rule, they are the last to leave the feeding grounds. In collisions, it is inferior to the younger one, regardless of the development of horns and physical strength; in individuals of the same age, the owner of the territory turns out to be the winner.

Bafter being defeated, the young male runs away for a short distance and then barks for a long time, the old male does not scream at all or barks several times.

Roe deer skull treatment

The remnants of the skin are removed from the skull, the lower jaw, tongue are separated, all muscles and eyes are removed. The brain is crushed with a spoon or wire hook and washed with a strong jet of water through a hole in the base of the skull. The more carefully the brain is removed before boiling, the easier it will be to clean and degrease the skull.

Most hunters saw the skull in order to mount the horns with the skull and nasal bone on a wooden plank. This is best done with a special saw after removing the muscles of the head. Nowadays, the custom is becoming more and more widespread to dissect the horns with the skull in its entirety and hang it on the wall without a plaque. Well-developed horns with a full skull make a stronger impression and are of great scientific value.

After a rough preparation, the skull is immersed in cold water for at least 24 hours until all the blood has been washed out. At the same time, it is useful to leave it in the water for several days, so that the process of muscle decay begins. Then, when cooking, they are separated from the bones much better. If the horns need to be dissected together with the upper part of the skull, then before cooking the fleshy palatine membrane is cut across, otherwise it tightens and tears out the bones.

It is best to boil the skull in pure water without adding any reagents. This avoids their aggressive effect on the bones and preserves the color of the horns.

The length of the boil time depends on the age of the roe deer. The skull is removed when the muscles begin to flake off the bones. The bones are cleaned of large muscles, the water containing fat is replaced with clean warm water and boiled until all the muscles can be easily separated.

The skull is dissected, the teeth that have fallen out are glued in, dried and bleached, repeatedly wiping with a cotton swab moistened with a warm 5% hydrogen peroxide solution. To do this, use rubber gloves or work with tweezers.

Bleaching can be done in other ways. Powdered chalk is mixed with a 5% hydrogen peroxide solution to form a slurry. The skull is wrapped in cotton wool smeared with this gruel and placed in a shallow bowl with a 5% hydrogen peroxide solution. Due to the suction action of cotton wool, the slurry remains constantly moistened. The skull packed in this way is left for 24 hours. Then the cotton wool is removed, the skull is dried and brushed.

When bleaching, make sure that the bases of the horns and teeth are not wetted, otherwise they will lose their natural color. Do not bleach with 30% hydrogen peroxide as recommended in many reference books. Such a concentrated solution has an aggressive effect on the bone. In addition, its use is uneconomical and can greatly damage human health.

The sawn-off skull is fixed on a wooden plank fitted in size and shape. In this case, it is important that the bones of the skull evenly fit to the stand. Small size trophies can be glued on a wooden stand. All horns, the parameters of which lie within the limits of the medal, must be attached with screws, since during the trophy assessment their weight and volume must be measured without a stand. The screws are driven through the board into the base of the horns.

The wig-like and similar horns require special treatment. To protect against insects and decay, they are injected with a solution of arsenic with formalin: 1 part of formalin and 1 part of a saturated solution of arsenic are taken for 4 parts of water. To prevent shrinkage of soft wig-like or similar ugly horns, they are paraffinized.

Trapping

Roe deer are harvested for a variety of purposes (science, relocation to other areas, zoos) and represent a good opportunity to thin out populations that are too large. There are several ways to capture.

Trapping

The method is based on luring animals with food into a special device. In the forest, medium-sized stationary traps and small mobile ones are most suitable.

Stationary traps are structures made of poles (Fig. 104) or fine-mesh wire mesh in the form of an oval or rectangular shape up to 20 m long and about 2-2.5 m wide, equipped on narrow sides with falling or folding gates. The sidewalls of the trap are sometimes made of individual planks 2 m high, which are nailed at such a frequency that the animals cannot get their feet stuck in the gaps. Otherwise, leg fractures are inevitable. In addition, longitudinal strips are nailed on top to repel jumps, so that the height of the trap reaches 2.8-3.0 m. Small trap boxes can be built into the corners of the trap.

The gates of the trap are held up by a cord, which is guided along rollers to a post in the center of the trap. Along this pole, the cord goes to the trigger, arranged at a height of 50 cm. In the automatic mode of operation of the trap, thin fishing lines are pulled on both sides of the pole, going from the trigger of the device to the side walls. When you touch the fishing line, the trigger is triggered, the cord is released and the gate falls down.

The descender can also be actuated by a person using an ambush cord. However, at the same time, animals are scared away, as they smell a person. The advantage of this trapping is that the cord can be pulled towards you at the moment when the desired prey is in the trap.

A mobile trap of small dimensions is a strong dark wooden box 1-1.5 m high, 0.6-0.8 m wide and 1.5-2 m long, which can be closed with a feed door. It has an open bottom with a board arranged in the form of a pedal, to which is attached a bar with a cord leading to a falling door. When you touch the pedal board, the bar is released and the falling door closes the exit.

The opposite wall of the box is provided with a hole into which the feed container is inserted. During the feeding period, roe deer should have access to food both from the outside and from the inside, and after getting used to the feeder - only from the inside.

The installation of traps must be done with great care. Be sure to check the freedom of movement of the falling gate, the proper functioning of the cord and rollers, and adjust the trigger.

In winter, frost settles on the cords, makes them heavier and tighter, which can lead to arbitrary operation of the descender. The trigger of the pedal board should be cleaned regularly as food from the trough falls on it, after which it does not always work. Keep in mind that the bait almost always attracts birds, so it should be set up in such a way that the landing lines cannot be used as perches by the birds. Otherwise, frequent false triggering of traps is possible.

Rice. 5. Stationary trap
top - outside view; bottom - inside view

As bait, fodder and sugar beets, Jerusalem artichoke silage, concentrated feed, sheaves of oats, alfalfa or clover hay, apples or apple pomace silage, and other feeds most preferred by them are laid out in the trap. Actually catching begins only after the food is well eaten. During the catching season it is impossible to feed outside the traps; otherwise, the chances of success are significantly reduced.

Alert traps should be checked early in the morning. If the population is large, one evening check is also recommended, about an hour after dark.

2 people are required to handle the captured animals. In a small trap, one of them pulls out the door, and the other pulls the roe deer out by the hind legs. In a medium-sized trap, they are driven into trapping boxes or a trapping corridor, or both trappers approach the animals together, grab them in the corners of the trap and lift them up by their front and hind legs with their backs down. In this position, the animals are very limited in their movements and can be taken out of the trap with little effort.

At night, roe deer are caught in traps with the help of powerful lanterns, blinding the animals with light. Here, speed of action is required and 1-2 more people than during daytime catching. Animals should not be left in the trap for too long, otherwise there is a danger of excessive disturbance caused by people and dogs.

Catching nets

During the period when roe deer do not feed or when for some reason they do not go into traps, they can be caught with nets. The success of this work largely depends on the correct choice of the place of capture. The higher the population density of animals, the greater the chance of catching them.

Before starting work, they carefully examine the main habitats of roe deer and find out the ways of their movement around the site. Paths of animals often go in a certain direction, which is taken into account when organizing corrals; the nets are placed perpendicular to the paths, and the beaters move parallel to them or along them.

It must be taken into account that in case of danger, roe deer run from open places - meadows, fields, small pegs, edges - into the forest, and it is very difficult or impossible to drive them out of the forest into open places. For this reason, the nets are installed in the depths of the forest, and the corral starts from the edge.

The best time for catching roe deer is August-December (January). In winter, it is more convenient to catch them with high snow: you don’t need to set up a continuous line of nets, only the main paths are blocked, which greatly facilitates and speeds up the work. In addition, during this period they live in groups, and it is often possible to catch several individuals in one pen.

In January - March, new horns begin to grow intensively in males; they are very fragile and break easily if animals are handled carelessly during trapping and transportation. Animals with damaged horns can die if drugs are not used to stop the bleeding. However, if qualified veterinary assistance is available during this period, it is quite possible to combine catching with the harvesting of male antlers, which will significantly increase the profitability of the work.

In April (May), the horns of males become hard, and they can already be caught without risk, but just at this time it is undesirable to catch females, since they are in the last months of pregnancy.

Until August, the females feed the calves with milk, and while the calves have not yet developed a herd instinct and do not have the necessary life skills that allow them to exist without a mother, females should not be caught (for resettlement). In addition, in summer the efficiency of catching will be very low, since they lead a solitary lifestyle at this time and it is not easy to drive them out of their habitats. It is almost impossible to catch grown calves, because they hide in danger. However, for scientific tagging, it is still possible to capture specific individuals within their ranges.

In August-September, underyearlings begin to constantly follow their mother and do not hide in danger, as before, and families often unite in groups. Animals from this time are less attached to their site, and it is easier to guide them in the net.

It must be borne in mind that it is very difficult to drive pegs into the frozen ground when installing the network. Animals caught in the net begin to fight and may be injured on the frozen ground. Roe deer are best caught when there is no frost or with sufficiently deep snow in calm weather. In strong winds, the nets often fall to the ground if the pegs are not set firmly enough.

Roe deer should be caught during the day. Early in the morning and in the evening, the animals usually feed, and by setting up nets, you can frighten them away and nullify the painstaking work. During the day, they are more likely to lie down and not so timidly react to various stimuli. Nevertheless, in those places where animals are not particularly afraid of humans and vehicles, it is possible, upon seeing feeding roe deer, to quickly place nets in the likely path of their movement and make a corral.

In hunting farms and in scientific areas where regular catching of individuals is necessary, it is more expedient to establish long-term lines and, after driving, do not wind the nets, but only lower them to the ground. They can be picked up quickly the next day.

Nets for catching roe deer are made of a strong nylon cord 3-4 mm thick. The optimal net mesh size is 15 X 15 cm for catching large Siberian roe deer and 10 X 10 cm for European. With a smaller cell size, the head does not always slip into it, the animals are poorly entangled, and the net is not very catchy. With a large cell size, for example, 20 X 20 cm, the net does not detain underyearlings and even adult females. The width (height) of the net should be within 2.2 - 2.7 m. Nets with a height of less than 2 m are low-catching, and 3-meter ones are heavy and difficult to work with.

The total length of the network is 0.5-2.0 km, depending on the terrain, the presence of people and transport. It is better to surround small islands of the forest with nets completely, in large arrays it is more efficient to arrange them in the form of the letter E.

The line of networks is made up of separate links, the length of which can be different. With short links (25-30 m) it is convenient to work in thickets where it is impossible to use vehicles. In addition, when a roe deer enters the net, only one or two adjacent short links fall to the ground and the integrity of the rest of the line is not violated, which allows you to simultaneously catch a larger number of animals. However, very short links (15 m), strong males of the Siberian roe deer, clinging to the edge with their horns, drag along several hundred meters, and there were cases when they got out or could not be found in the summer along with the nets. It is difficult to work with network links longer than 30 m without the use of transport due to their severity. When working on roads and clearings with a pre-prepared line of pegs in the presence of transport, the optimal length of the network link is 50-60 m.

Rice. 6. Line of nets

When making a net, a nylon del is planted on a thicker (6-8 mm) cord ("string") only on one side without "shrinkage", which is used in the manufacture of fishing nets. The "bowstring" should be 1 m longer than the deli segment on each side. These ends of the cord serve, if necessary, to tie the assembled network. To mask the nets, they are dyed with synthetic dyes in a dark color.

The network is hung on small carnations without hats driven into the bark of trees at a height of 2 meters or on 2-meter pegs with a diameter of 3-4 cm, nails are also hammered into the upper end of which (their tip should protrude outward by about 2 cm), or a tree is picked up with a knot at the top. The peg with its lower pointed end is vertically driven into the ground.

The net is hung on pegs on the outside of the corral line (Fig. 6). The lower edge of the net should not be significantly tucked in the direction of the corral, as is done when catching hares: it should be approximately on the line of pegs. The meaning of this setting is as follows. A roe deer on the run jumps with its head or horns into a cell of the net, from a blow its upper edge freely jumps off a knot or nail, falls and covers the beast. Therefore, you can not set the net on the inside of the corral line, wind the "bowstring" around pegs or tree branches, or tie the net to the trees. In this case, the roe deer will not be able to throw off the upper edge of the net and will not get tangled in it. When setting the line, the edges of the links are not tied, but fastened with grass or a dry twig.

The network setup technique is as follows. One of the catchers spreads or carries the pegs and sets them 3.5-4 m apart from each other. Another lays out bags at regular intervals, in which the links of the net are neatly laid. Three more catchers unwind the nets and hang them on pegs. The fastest way is to work with two such groups, setting up networks from the middle of the line to its edges. With a certain skill, one group installs a kilometer of the net in about 2-3 hours, with a finished line of pegs - in 1 hour.

Nets should not be installed in the middle of clearings, clearings and roads. They must be placed as close as possible to the trees and bushes from the side of the paddock; so they will be less noticeable.

Roe deer running from beaters react to the net from a distance of 3 to 40 m and often run parallel to the line or turn back. Therefore, its edges must be bent towards the corral. Only suddenly frightened and quickly running animals do not have time to react in time and fall into it. The tactics of catching them with nets is based on this feature.

For catching, two groups of people are needed - catchers and beaters. The number of both may vary depending on the length of the nets, the terrain, the availability of transport, etc., but it is desirable that there be at least 8 catchers and 10 beaters per kilometer of the net line.
The task of the beaters is to put the animals to the net and not let them go back.

Usually a chain of beaters with flanks pushed forward with little noise moves towards the net, observing alignment, a given direction and distance. When approaching the networks, the noise intensifies. In winter, with a shortage of beaters, one or two people who are good at unraveling the tracks, following the roe deer, can put them out to the line of nets. In paddocks, specially trained, mild-mannered hunting dogs can be used.

The task of the catchers is to frighten the fleeing animals and then keep them in the net. The catchers are located in front of the line at a distance of about 40-50 m from it and 70-100 m from each other and wait for the appearance of roe deer. As in hunting, you need to disguise yourself on the numbers, you can not make noise, move around and smoke. The catcher skips the animals running from the beaters and, as soon as it is behind, runs after it with a scream, and then keeps it in the net, preventing it from hitting the ground and trees, which often leads to serious injuries.

Roe deer have strong hind limbs and sharp hooves, so it is safer to approach it from the back and hold it by the legs. It should be borne in mind that the horns of males are very rough and sharp, which is why it is better to work in canvas mittens and in wadded jackets.

The eyes of the caught animal are closed (for which you need to make a special dark sleeve with rubber bands at the ends), untangle it from the net and tie its legs with a soft belt. If trapping occurs in winter, it is placed on some kind of bedding: a bag, a padded jacket, etc. to avoid a cold. If the corral continues, the catchers set the fallen net on pegs and quickly get back into position.

Animals should not be kept with their feet tied for a long time. They are tagged and released, and if it is necessary to overexpose them, they are put in transport boxes and delivered to their destination, and they are transported at close distances even without boxes. To calm them down, they are given tranquilizers that relieve nervous tension and stop motor excitation.

We have also tested the trapping method. In the summer, a line of nets was used to block the paths of animals moving to a watering place or feeding meadows and left it in a wary state for a day, checking every 3–4 hours. With a high population density, roe deer can be caught in this way mainly males, probably less cautious and more mobile.

However, in this case, if the nets are installed incorrectly (if for some reason the upper edge does not fall to the ground), deaths of animals are very common. In addition, wild boars get into the nets at night. Therefore, this method can be recommended only for scientific purposes with careful installation of networks on flat terrain and frequent checks.

In general, catching roe deer with nets is likely to result in more animal deaths than catching with live traps. At the very least, it should be borne in mind that it is inevitable and can reach up to 5-10% of the total number of animals caught.

The main cause of death was trauma in the nets (mainly torn muscles of the hind legs and damage to the tendons). These injuries are detected only a few hours after capture; the animals do not stand up or drag their hind legs, rubbing the skin on their hind legs down to the bone when moving.

Such animals must be placed for treatment in cramped cages or, if after release they ended up in nature, not to be disturbed.

Immobilization

Immobilization (immobilization) of roe deer is usually used after catching them in nets or traps and in enclosures. Trapping by this method in nature, as we have seen, is not effective enough: it takes a lot of time to track down an animal; the target is relatively small, and at a long distance there is no guarantee of an accurate hit; the thickness of the muscles is small, and often the projectile hits the peritoneum or the bone, which leads to injury or death of the animal. It is not possible yet to work out a sufficient effective method of immobilization with the help of additives of drugs in top dressing; roe deer have a very good instinct, and animals refuse such food.

For the immobilization of roe deer from known drugs, the combination of xylazine (rompun) and ketamine hydrochloride in a ratio of 1: 2 at the rate of 3 mg/kg of animal weight is probably best suited. This dose with weak action can be increased by 50%. After intramuscular injection, the first manifestations of the action of the drug occur after 2-4 minutes, and after 5-15 minutes, complete immobilization occurs. The drug acts for about 45 minutes, but residual effects and drowsiness appear for 5-8 hours (Eisfeld, 1974).

From experience, we have seen that the use of other drugs, such as chlorpromazine, dithylin (listenone), diplacin, hexenal, barbamil, etaminal sodium, sernylen and rompun is in principle possible, but less convenient due to the large volume, or not fast enough and effective enough. actions, or adverse events leading to the death of animals.

It is better to use drugs in combinations. To calm the captured animals, you can use a combination of etaminal barbiturate quite available for use with chlorpromazine in the ratio of 30-35:15-20 mg/kg for captive and 25:10-15 mg/kg for free-living animals.

In case of an overdose, 0.5 ml of a 10% solution of corazol is administered intramuscularly (Bluzma, 1975).

The use of immobilization during trapping, overexposure, transportation and manipulation with animals allows them to save their lives.

Tagging

Marking of captured roe deer is certainly necessary. Without it, it is impossible to obtain reliable data on the movement of animals, their ecology and behavior, the unlabeled population is "faceless". The results of tagging are especially valuable for scientific generalizations, on which, in fact, a rational hunting economy is based.

In most cases, roe deer cubs under the age of 2 weeks fall into the hands of hunters and specialists. They hide when threatened, making it easier to catch them. Calf and adult tagging is usually done with various types of numbered aluminum studs and plastic ear tacks. However, these labels are invisible and uninformative. A much better result can be obtained using the same ear buttons, but placing thin plates of colored plastic of various shapes, sizes, and colors under them on both sides of the ear. The larger their size, the more noticeable they are, however, plates more than 7 cm in diameter interfere with the animal and the possibility of catching them on bushes increases. This mark allows you to repeatedly identify the animal at a great distance.

The ear for marking is pierced with special forceps, after wiping the cutting edge and the mark itself with alcohol. Not all ear tags last for a long time, so it is advisable to insert them in both ears.

It is better to mark adult animals with collars with bright numbers. The collar is more noticeable than the ear mark, it lasts longer, and possibly long-term, sometimes throughout life, observation of the individual, which makes it possible to obtain unique material. The most suitable for this purpose are soft leather or nylon collars with large number plates, but their manufacture is expensive and difficult.

If necessary, the number on the collar can be done as follows: a dense polyethylene film is cut into equal rectangles, degreased with alcohol and several sheets are glued through the fabric with a hot iron until a sufficiently strong base is obtained, on which a layer of colored (preferably black) film is applied in the same way. Then, figures cut out of polyethylene of a different color (preferably red) or colored paper are glued onto a colored base, which are covered from above with 2-3 layers of a transparent film, ironed. The number is sewn with nylon threads on the side of the collar on both sides.

Rice. 7. Equipping the roe deer with a radio transmitter

For long-term scientific research, it is more useful to tag animals with both collars and ear tags, but most effectively with radio transmitters (Fig. 7). Animals with ear buttons are most often registered twice (when catching and shooting); with numbered collars - dozens of times; the radio transmitter makes it possible to continuously monitor them for 1-2 years, after which individuals, also marked with a number on the collar, meet for a long time.

Animals equipped with radio transmitters can be very useful when hunting for other individuals: by bearing, you can quickly find a group and shoot the desired animal. If the marked roe deer is alone, then with a slow pursuit, it will always lead the hunter or explorer to other animals located in this area. In this way, it is possible to carry out their accounting with great accuracy.

Thus, the introduction of individuals equipped with radio transmitters into the population will certainly be comprehensively useful both for scientific research and for practical purposes. Radio transmitters allow long-term tracking of migratory populations using aircraft or artificial satellites.

Accurate records are very important when marking, for which a card is filled out for each individual indicating the place and date of marking, sex, age, ear mark and collar number, and color of the mark. This information should be in the hunting area or reserve. A registration card is entered for the marked animal, where all messages about meeting places and composition of groups, the presence and quality of offspring, etc. are entered.

Overexposure, transportation and release

When transported to other places, animals marked at the place of capture are immediately delivered to the collection point in specially equipped enclosures or sheds. Here they are kept all the time while they are being accumulated. This period of overexposure is also necessary for veterinary purposes. However, the long-term practice of relocation of roe deer shows that at the time of overexposure and transportation, their maximum withdrawal occurs (up to 80% of the number of those caught), the reasons for which have not been fully elucidated. It was believed that animals die from stress, which is most likely the case. However, it is now clear that one of the main causes of death is the injuries they received both in nets and traps, and during overexposure. When approaching a human or dog pen, roe deer get very frightened and jump onto the walls, hit their heads, bodies, break their legs and spine. Especially destructive for them is repeated capture on the basis of overexposure.

Therefore, in order to exclude the death of animals, we recommend completely abandoning overexposure at the place of capture. After trapping, immobilization and labeling, it is advisable to immediately place them in dark transport cages, in which they can be kept for 1-2 days and, after collecting a batch, transport them to their destination. It is better to transport over long distances (over 3 days) young or tame individuals caught at an early age and raised in captivity.

Proper transportation is of great importance for the conservation of animals. Preliminary immobilization can reduce the risk of stress and injury. However, in severe frost, animals should not be immobilized, since this greatly reduces the intensity of blood circulation, which can lead to death from hypothermia.

In any case, it is better to transport animals in dark, closed boxes equipped with two sliding doors and equipped with ventilation holes on the side. If transportation over a long distance is required, then food is placed in the box from the side of the head of the animal: hay, chopped apples, beets, rutabaga, etc. and put water. The growing horns of males are protected with bandages, and in this case the top of the box is tightened with a dense cloth.

The dimensions of the shipping boxes vary depending on the species and subspecies of the transported roe deer: for Siberian specimens, length and height 130-150 X 110-120 cm, width 50 cm; for European - 115 X 85 X 45 cm. The walls of the boxes, especially the doors, should not have slots, protruding sharp corners, planks, knots, nails, etc., otherwise the animals will be severely injured.

During transportation, hypothermia or overheating of animals should be avoided. Upon arrival at their destination, the boxes are opened from the side where the beast's head is, and they are allowed to exit on their own. Some animals jump out immediately, others, especially those subjected to immobilization, come out only after a long time.

At the place of release, roe deer should be kept until spring in a large enclosure, where they can find plenty of food and shelter in the form of dense thickets. In spring, it is better to keep no more than one adult male with females. Otherwise, fights between them and severe anxiety of pregnant females are inevitable.

The sex ratio from 1:2 to 1:5 in favor of females at resettlement is more justified both from a biological and economic point of view than the usually recommended 1:1.

It is better to release animals into the wild 3-4 weeks before calving, i.е. about 2 weeks after the snow melts, leaving the paddock gate open where they can freely enter to feed. At this point, the males will immediately begin to occupy territories, and the females will choose; tribal areas. So they can be kept near the enclosures. When released at other times of the year or without overexposure, there is no guarantee that the animals will remain in this hunting area.

However, a delay in release can lead to fights between adult males for territory in the enclosure, which can result in the death of not only them, but also individual females.

Body, skull and horns measurements

A. Body measurements

1. Body length - from the front edge of the upper lip to the end of the tail (without hair) - is measured with a tape or braid along the dorsal side along the curves of the body.
2. Height at the withers - from the level of the withers along the spinous processes of the vertebrae in a straight line to the end of the hoof (both forelimbs are straightened, connected together and oriented perpendicular to the spinal column).
3. Girth of the torso - with a measuring tape behind the forelimbs around the torso.

Rice. 8. Scheme of measuring the body of a roe deer
1 - body length; 2 - height at the withers; 3 - girth of the body;
4 - body length; 5 - foot length; 6 - ear length

4. The length of the body - from the anterior protrusion of the shoulder joint to the posterior edge of the femoral joint (in a straight line, the back of the animal is straightened, the limbs are oriented perpendicular to the spinal column).
5. The length of the foot - from the calcaneal tuber to the tip of the hoof on the back (plantar) side.
6. Ear length - from the lower edge of the ear notch to the tip of the ear without hair.

B. Skull and horns measurements

1. The maximum length of the skull - from the most protruding points behind and in front.
2. Condylobasal length - from the most backward point of the occipital condyles to the most forward point of the premaxillary bones.
3. Main length - from the lower edge of the occipital foramen to the most protruding point of the premaxillary bones.
4. Maximum width - in the widest place at the level of the eye sockets.
5. Zygomatic width - in the widest place at the level of the zygomatic arches.
6. Interorbital width, minimal.
7. The length of the facial part - from the most protruding point of the premaxillary bones to the anterior edge of the orbit.
8. The maximum length of the nasal bones - from the most protruding forward
and back their ends.
9. The length of the upper row of teeth - along the alveoli.

1 - maximum length of the skull; 2 - condylobasal length; 3 - main length; 4 - maximum width; 5 - zygomatic width; 6 - interorbital width; 7 - length of the front part; 8 - the maximum length of the nasal bones;
9 - the length of the upper row of teeth; 10 - maximum width of the brain capsule;
11 - length of the lower jaw; 12 - the length of the lower row of teeth; 13 - length of the diastema of the lower jaw; 14 - distance between the inner sides of the axial rods of the horns; 15 - distance between the outer sides of the axial rods of the horns; 16 - the maximum length of the horns; 17 - maximum distance between horns

10. The maximum width of the brain capsule is in the widest place parallel to the zygomatic arches.
11. The length of the lower jaw - from the posterior edge of the articular process in a straight line to the anterior edge of the dentary, without teeth.
12. The length of the lower row of teeth - along the alveoli.
13. The length of the diastema of the lower jaw - along the alveoli.
14. The distance between the inner sides of the axial rods of the horns - on
level of the tops of the frontal bones.
15. The distance between the outer sides of the axial rods of the horns - at the level of the tops of the frontal bones.
16. The maximum length of the horns is the average of the measurements of both horns from the lower edge of the rosette to its most distant end along the outer side along the bends of the horn (measured with a measuring tape).
17. The maximum distance between the horns is from the inner sides of the horns.

At the sight of these animals, there is no doubt - in front of you is a deer ... but why so small? Its weight does not exceed 60 kg, and the height at the withers barely reaches 70-80 cm!

Everything is simple, because this is not a simple deer - it is Roe- a small and graceful representative of the deer family.

What does a deer look like

The small body of the Roe deer is dressed in a brown-orange skin and rests on short slender legs with sharp small hooves.

The Roe deer has a tail, but it is so small that no one has ever seen it - it is completely hidden under thick fur, but under the tail there is a large bright white spot, which is necessary for the Roe deer to divert the attention of predators.

The head of males is decorated with a pair of small horns with several branches and tubercles, females are polled, that is, they do not have horns. In autumn, males shed their horns and it becomes more difficult to distinguish them from females.

Where does the deer live

Roe deer widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, they can be found in North America, Europe, Asia Minor, Russia.

Roe deer are inhabitants of the forest-steppe zone: they feel great in meadows among tall grass with rare shrubs behind which you can hide. They can also be found in forest clearings, and in light forests.

Roe deer spend the daytime in the shelter, and at dusk they come out to nibble grass and stretch their legs. They prefer succulent herbs, berries and young shoots of trees, although they can also eat less tasty food, especially in the cold season, when food shortages make them not disdain tree bark and pine needles.

What do deer eat

Roe deer eat various herbs, as well as acorns, which are found on the edges. Of mushrooms, milk mushrooms and honey mushrooms are more loved, and of berries - lingonberries, blueberries and strawberries. Also, they will not give up mosses and tree growth.

Leaves, twigs and buds of trees and shrubs are eaten, but extremely rarely, and only willow, birch, oak, maple, hazel and raspberry. When winter comes, deer are forced to eat pine needles pines and they can even dig snow with their hooves, finding dry leaves, ivy, horsetail and acorns under it.

Roe deer nocturnal animals - feed at night and at dawn.

Roe deer breeding

Roe deer, unlike other deer, prefer solitude and form small groups only when necessary.
As a rule, in the summer, family groups are formed of a mother and two deer, males and childless females keep apart. Winter colds force Roe deer to stray into small herds - it is easier to survive frost and hunger.

The mating season falls on the summer months and the beginning of autumn. Males make loud sounds that attract females, tear and scatter the ground and foliage with their horns, fight among themselves, finding out who is stronger. The strongest male will get the right to become a family man and create his grief.

The gestation period for Roe deer is from 5 to 10 months, it all depends on when the mating took place.
If mating took place in the fall, then after 5 months, in the spring, a pair of small deer will be born.

But if the female became pregnant in the summer, and not in the fall, then the pregnancy will have a latent period - a kind of "pause" when the embryo temporarily stops developing - and then the pregnancy will last as long as 10 months until the next summer.
Roe deer are the only species of deer that have a latent period of pregnancy, it is necessary so that babies cannot be born in winter, when lack of food and cold doom them to a quick death.

On average, two deer are born to Roe deer, babies are born in April-July. They have a motley spotted skin and almost immediately know how to walk and even run, but they are still too weak and can easily fall into the clutches of predators, so they spend the first days of their lives in shelter, drink mother's milk, grow and gain strength.
All summer the kids spend next to their mother, the kids will become adults next year, at the age of 14-16 months.
The average lifespan of Roe deer is 10 years, sometimes living up to 15.

Roe Deer Enemies

The roe deer is perfectly adapted to life in the forest-steppe zone - and this is no accident, because it has many enemies: lynxes and wolves able to catch adult roe deer, birds of prey, foxes and wild dogs prefer to prey on helpless deer.

The short stature of the roe deer allows it to be invisible among low bushes, the brownish skin of an adult roe deer is almost invisible against the background of tall grass and tree trunks, and the motley skin of deer merges with the forest litter and last year's foliage.

Strong legs allow the roe deer to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h - at such a speed the roe deer will not be able to run for a long time, but even a small jerk is enough to get away from the pursuit of a lynx or wolf.

But the main enemy of roe deer is man: the reduction of habitats leads to the fact that roe deer often become victims of accidents and die under the wheels of cars, and beautiful horns and tasty meat make them a favorite target for hunters.

The horns of young Roe deer look like pipes.

Roe deer they simply swim wonderfully and swim the Yenisei and Amur rivers without much difficulty during emigration.

Seeing the danger, the animal begins to stomp loudly, thereby warning its relatives about the danger.

Fleeing from predators, Roe deer can accelerate up to 60 km/h- more than the speed of a lynx or a wolf, but she will not be able to run for long.

Roe deer female easily possible tame- she is calm, not obstinate and not at all aggressive, but with a male everything is much harder - it is almost impossible to tame him.

Males can have a harem - they live with two or three females.

Some females do not take part in the summer rut, but breed in December. But what is interesting: they bring babies, like the rest of the Roe deer, since during pregnancy the embryos do not go through a latent period.