Three ways in which YOU may be able to help ....

A) Deer Count Volunteers
B) Report deer road casualties / vehicle collisions
C) Sightings of non-native deer

Deer Count Volunteers:
The annual Quantock Deer Count has been undertaken ever since 1991 by a team of about 50 volunteers who have a keen interest in the deer. Each is allocated a specific block on the day in which to count all deer seen during two hours from first light at dawn, recorded on maps and aerial photos provided.
- The deer count was organised from the late 1990's by Jochen Langbein (Langbein Wildlife Associates) up until 2018, but organisation is now led by The Quantock Hills AONB Rangers team. Any existing volunteers who have helped with the count over recent years - Please do drop a brief email to the organisers during early February to confirm whether you expect to be able to assist again for the next March deer count (provisionally scheduled for first Sunday in March 2022).
- We would be pleased to hear also from a small number of new people each year who would like to become involved with the count on an annual basis. As far as possible new counters during their first year will assist in an area with an existing counter. If you think you would like to become involved, or have helped in years gone by and are keen to do so again, please get in touch with the ranger (link above).
- More about the history and past results of the count can be read in this Blog "25 Years of Quantock Deer Counts".; as well as a fuller paper published in SANHS journal 2016.

Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVCs)
Each year a significant number of deer are killed or injured in collisions with vehicles on roads around the Quantocks, not least along the A39 Nether Stowey to Williton road and the A358 Bicknoller to Bishops Lydeard. Just how risky and common such deer crossing activity along the A39e road can be is shown on the video below.

[for more clips and advice on avoiding DVCs click here]  To record and help identify local DVC hotposts please let Jochen know by (email) whenever you see any dead deer at the roadside or have had a collision with a deer yourself near the Quantocks. -

However - if a LIVE DEER is injured but still alive following a DVC - the first point of call should be the local police; and if located near the Quantocks the QSH live-deer casualty service (click here)

Sighting reports for non-native deer
Non-native deer, in particular Muntjac and to a lesser extent Sika are expanding their distribution in Southwest England. Although muntjac were first seen on the Quantocks more than 20 years ago, very few are as yet recorded each year during the annual deer count (aimed moreso at larger deer species). To help monitor the presence of Muntjac and Sika deer in the region, the count organisers (contact page) would be most grateful for any reports of sightings of these species at any time in and around the Quantock Hills - including if possible a OS grid map reference and date).