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Deer numbers soar across Britain
Residents in towns like Horsham, West Sussex, report frequent sightings of deer herds on busy roads and in residential areas. Ben Martill, a 33-year-old gardener, observes the animals daily from his flat, noting their growing presence over recent years. "There are herds running up Crawley Road," he says. "Loads congregate at night on the traffic island of the bypass."
Unchecked growth since the pandemic
Deer populations in Britain have risen sharply over the past four decades, but experts warn the situation has worsened since COVID-19. Culling efforts declined during the pandemic, allowing numbers to spiral. While exact figures are unclear, government agencies estimate the current population at around two million-up from 450,000 in the 1970s.
Jonathan Spencer, former head of planning at Forestry England, describes the situation as "completely out of hand."
Economic and environmental toll
The surge in deer numbers is taking a heavy toll on farmers, drivers, and ecosystems. Lucy Manthorpe, who runs a 400-acre organic farm in Suffolk, reports losing over £10,000 annually to deer damage. She now employs a full-time worker dedicated to culling. Nationally, costs run into the tens of millions, with some high-value crops facing losses of up to £1 million per year.
Road collisions involving deer are another major concern. The AA estimates up to 74,000 deer are killed or injured on UK roads annually, leading to hundreds of human injuries and occasional fatalities. In October 2025, a 63-year-old motorcyclist in Oxfordshire died after colliding with a deer.
Woodlands are also under threat. Alison Field, president of the Royal Forestry Society, warns that high deer densities prevent natural tree regrowth, disrupting ecosystems. "The pressure of the deer now has become so great that we've lost the balance out of our landscape," she says.
Debating solutions: Culling vs. rewilding
Conservationists, farmers, and policymakers agree on the need to control deer numbers, but methods remain contentious. The UK currently culls around 350,000 deer annually, yet populations continue to rise. Parliament was told in 2023 that up to 750,000 may need to be culled yearly to stabilize numbers.
Some advocate for radical measures, including the reintroduction of apex predators like wolves and lynx. George Monbiot, an environmental campaigner, argues these animals could "get on with the job." However, the Countryside Alliance opposes the idea, calling it "disastrous" for livestock farmers.
Non-lethal methods, such as contraceptive darts or fencing, face practical challenges. The British Deer Society notes that fencing can exclude other wildlife, while darting requires close proximity to deer-far closer than a rifle shot.
Jonathan Spencer suggests more drastic action, including rounding up and culling deer in enclosures. "That would go down like a lead brick socially," he admits.
Legal and logistical hurdles
Deer in Britain are classified as res nullius-belonging to no one-placing responsibility on landowners. However, inconsistent efforts across properties undermine control measures. Scotland is advancing legislation to grant new powers for managing deer in crisis areas, while England and Wales are still reviewing their strategies.
A Defra spokesperson stated, "There is a range of government support and grants available to help land managers manage these impacts, and we will be setting out further measures in due course."
Venison as a sustainable solution?
Some experts propose increasing venison consumption as a way to manage populations. Charles Smith-Jones of the British Deer Society calls deer a "sustainable, natural resource," noting that venison is leaner and more nutrient-rich than beef. However, animal rights groups like PETA oppose culling, advocating instead for humane population control.
Lucy Manthorpe's farm offers a glimpse of what controlled deer management can achieve. Since hiring staff to cull deer, her land has seen a resurgence of wildflowers, rare trees, and wildlife. "The deer are not deciding what's going to happen any more," she says. "Nature is deciding."
