The red deer is a large herbivorous mammal of the order Artiodactyla. It is found in Central and Western Europe, the European part of Russia and Central Asia. In Bulgaria, it is distributed in the mountainous and plain part of the country, with a population of 23 thousand individuals.
He is the biggest Bulgarian deer. The males are called hornbills and the females are called Koshuti. Males, unlike females, have antlers that grow from March to April. Sometimes they reach up to 1 meter in length and up to 10 kg. With age, the antlers become larger and more branched. By the tenth year, the branching numbers more than 24.
The red deer is an interesting hunting subject because the hunting game is masterful and a temptation for any hunter. Only the males are allowed to hunt. The hunting period is short, the only exception being those who aim to maintain the population in good condition and good quality hereditary material.
Deer antlers are intriguing not only for their trophy value, but also for the medicinal properties they contain. The pantocrine extracted from deer antlers has been known since ancient China. It was used to preserve the emperor's strength into old age. In the 15th century, in medieval Russia, the horns were called "golden". This was because their value was greater than that of precious metal.
Habitat
Locations where it occurs are deciduous or mixed forests, mountainous or semi-forested open terrains. They usually live in small herds during the winter, composed of males only or females only, which only mix during the breeding season. In spring they can be found alone, on southern slopes, where they begin to green up. Its main food is leaves and buds, young twigs, shrubs, berries, mushrooms and moss. In autumn and winter it feeds on the bark of young trees and the stems of shrubs.
Reproduction
The red deer is a polygamous animal. With the rutting of the females, in September, the fights between the males begin. They are all day long and exhausting, and they use only their antlers for this purpose, wedging them in. The structure of the horns ensures the safety of the fights and no serious injuries occur. The young are born in May-June. If the cub is a female it stays in the same herd. If it is a deer - it joins the herd of other males.
Hunting red deer
Hunting is allowed from 1 September to 31 January.
The red deer has an extremely well developed sense of hearing and smell. Its eyesight is poor, which is why it is a timid and cautious animal. Deer hunting is better in winter. In other seasons, there is a chance that the deer's coloration will blend in with the vegetation and you will lose it. For the hunt to be successful, it is good to have a large caliber weapon.
All known types of hunting require great patience. Keeping absolute silence is a must. As their sense of smell is highly developed - avoid strong scents and smoking.
In order to preserve the deer's traditional habitat it is necessary to hunt in the same place up to twice a year at most.
In Bulgaria, care is taken for the red deer and the maintenance of its population.
Sources: lovnistrasti.com , en.wikipedia.org
