Fallow Deer Stalking in Ireland

The Species

Fallow deer (Dama dama) are not native to Ireland — they were introduced during the Norman period (12th–13th century) and have been present on the island for over 800 years, making them the longest-established non-native deer species in the country. A mature Fallow buck stands around 90–100 cm at the shoulder and weighs 60–100 kg — similar to Sika in body size but immediately distinguishable by the flat, palmate antlers that develop on mature bucks and the distinctive spotted coat.

Fallow deer are highly variable in coat colour: the classic form is tawny-brown with white spots on the flanks in summer, but Irish populations include animals that range from very pale cream through normal tawny to dark brown or almost black (the "menil" and "melanistic" colour variants). A party stalking Fallow in a mixed Irish demesne wood may see animals of noticeably different colour on the same morning — one of the features that makes Fallow visually interesting as a quarry.

Mature Fallow bucks carry the most striking antlers of any Irish deer: broad, flattened palms in a good head, typically with 6–10 points. The trophy potential of Irish Fallow is genuine — the lowland wooded terrain that suits them produces better-bodied bucks than the exposed mountain conditions that Irish Red and Sika deer inhabit.

The Rut

The Fallow rut runs in October — broadly overlapping with the Sika rut — but sounds entirely different. Where a Sika stag whistles and a Red stag roars, a Fallow buck produces a deep, belching groan: a sound that carries well through woodland but is more unsettling than dramatic on first hearing. Mature Fallow bucks establish rutting stands in traditional locations and defend them against rival males, often returning to the same stand year after year.

The rut puts bucks into predictable locations and makes them catchable during daylight hours when they would normally be nocturnal. October is therefore the optimal month for a trophy Fallow buck, though the stalk requires more woodland craft than open-mountain work: reading wind in broken cover, moving quietly through leaf litter, identifying the target animal before it identifies you.

Season Dates

Sex	Open season	Notes
Fallow buck	September 1st – December 31st	4 months; rut peaks in October
Fallow doe	November 1st – February 28th/29th	4 months; coincides with Red hind season

The buck season mirrors Red stag in length and timing — both run September through December. The best months for a trophy Fallow buck are October (rut, predictable movement) and November (bucks still in hard antler, in good condition after the rut). December remains productive on good ground and, with Fallow in their heavier winter coat, is when bucks look their most impressive in the field.

Where Fallow Are Found

Fallow deer are concentrated in the lowland wooded parts of Ireland rather than the mountain uplands that suit Sika and Red. They are particularly associated with the demesne woodlands of landed estates — the remnant oak and beech woods attached to Irish country houses — and have spread from these origins into adjacent forestry and farmland over the centuries.

Fallow Versus Sika: Choosing Your Target

If you're planning an Irish deer hunt and weighing Fallow against Sika, the decision usually comes down to terrain preference and trophy type.

Sika stalking — particularly in Wicklow — means open mountain and upland forestry, long days on the hill, and a challenging wild-country experience with a smaller, quicker deer. The Wicklow operations are well-structured with multiple outfitters and clear package pricing.

Fallow stalking means woodland cover, closer quarters, and the most visually impressive set of antlers of any Irish species. The buck you take will look striking on the wall in a way that a Sika stag — smaller and lighter in antler — often doesn't. For hunters whose primary interest is in the trophy as well as the experience, Fallow deserves serious consideration.

Many Irish outfitters offer multi-species packages — a day for Fallow and a day for Sika in the same trip is logistically straightforward if they operate on mixed ground. Ask when you enquire.

Book a Fallow Deer Stalk

Outfitters offering Fallow deer are listed on the full directory. For county-specific information:

• Wicklow stalking — Fallow alongside Sika and Red, 4 outfitters
• Cork stalking — multi-species Munster packages, fly into Cork Airport