‘Magnificent seven’ back on the radar

As we welcome spring, it not only marks a change of the seasons, but also the much-anticipated roebuck season. For me, it is without question the highlight of the stalking calendar. Mother Nature has started waking up from her long slumber, birds are starting to pair up, fresh shoots appear on the trees and roe does get ready to give birth to kids.

There are physiological changes happening to the roebuck, as well as changes in their behaviour, at this time of year. The most obvious and noticeable change is antler growth and the shedding of their winter coats. Antler tissue is one of the fastest-growing tissues in the animal kingdom. While many organisms can regenerate body parts, deer are the only mammals that still possess this alien power of regenerating heavy antlers within months. The winter fur, designed to keep them warm