English and Welsh Roe Review 2018

English roe had a good year in 2018. After reporting an increased number of heads presented for measuring in 2017 — the best on record — we were prepared for a slower year in 2018. Reports from stalkers across the country were suggesting lower numbers of quality bucks.

As so often happens, a result perhaps of the increased feed available in winter and despite the Beast from the East taking some lesser specimens, this was not to the case.
Numbers presented for assessment rose to a new high of 1,710 heads, 387 of which were English roe — 400 were Scottish roe — and 308 reached medal standard, an increase of 28 per cent. Of these, 64 were of gold medal quality, another increase on last year, this time by 22 per cent.

That said, in terms of individual UK quality, with the number of heads exceeding last year’s tally, the quality was slightly down. Fewer heads scored more than 160 CIC points. 
The huge ones of the past were 
not so noticeable.

Members of the CIC team enjoyed the opportunity to remeasure — or 
at least attempted to remeasure — Major Peter Baillie’s famed monster, shot in Hampshire in 1974. The very speediest of readings were required in gauging the volume of this porous head, as were lengthy waits between repeated attempts.

We arrived at a consensus in preparation for the head being shown at the World Hunting and Nature Expo in Budapest in 2021, despite an inevitable rider on accuracy. It was interesting to scrutinise the first measurements taken and note the differences since.

Click to view the full tables

Longest antlers

Dr Richard Meyer’s Wiltshire roe was the other outstanding head measured in 2018. Despite having some mystery about it — and it having reportedly been subject to some form of ad hoc assessment — this was its first official measurement. It scored a healthy 205.62 CIC points and its average beam length of 30.65cm put it into the top four longest roe antlers recorded. It too will go to the Budapest expo.

Three counties continue to stand out in terms of the quality of heads. Hampshire led the field with 49 heads, of which 15 were gold medals. Wiltshire followed with 47 heads, though only four made gold. Somerset produced 43 heads with nine golds. These were followed by Oxfordshire, 27 heads and seven golds; Dorset 
with 20 heads but only three golds; and Gloucestershire with 14 and 
three golds.

Other consistent producers of medal heads, albeit in smaller numbers, are Northumberland with four golds from 13 heads, Cumbria with nine heads and Worcestershire with four heads, two of which were healthy golds.

Mr P. Kirsopp’s Northumberland head measured 170.05 CIC points, the highest-scoring head from that county to date. Dr Richard Meyer had another Somerset head at 153.28 points and others of note include Sam Nicholls’s 185.53 head, again from Somerset.

Stalkers are often surprised by the results of their activities and ever more pleasantly surprised when the result is a gold medal. Kevin Hicks’s 146.05-point head is a good example, as is Declan Mouland’s slightly smaller head at 131.45.

Wide heads don’t always score well, but Aaron Holmes’s 152.78 head from Dorset proved an exception to the rule, as did Mike Bagnowiec’s very narrow head from Gloucestershire, which scored 135.67.

When a hunter produces the fruits of his labours from a period of years it is always gratifying to see the care with which they manage their deer populations. One of these was a Belgian hunter whose careful management of an estate in southern England has brought increased quality over the year. There was 
a range of medals from gold, at just over the threshold at 131.53 CIC points, down to a bronze at 105.2 CIC points. It’s not always only about size.

Other figures

Wild boar

Sika

Red deer

Muntjac

Mouflon

Fallow

CWD

Carnivore

Farewell Charles

One of the UK CIC’s senior measurers, Charles Fenn, died suddenly in late October 2018. Having been a measurer for more than 20 years, 
Charles had become very much an expert on sika, his preferred species. Having also developed an expertise with African species, he was appointed a senior international trophy judge 
in 2016, contributing to the 
work of the International 
Trophy Evaluation Board (TEB) and representing the UK TEB in that forum.

Those who knew Charles always speak of his readiness to help stalkers, to explain 
the somewhat esoteric ways of the measuring system 
and to encourage hunters 
to look after their quarry 
in the spirit that the CIC 
has always embodied. He 
will be sorely missed.