METHODS
Survey Area
For the purpose of the Survey, Essex was regarded as the region ad-
ministered by the Essex County Council together with the area, north of the
river Thames and east of the river Lea, administered by the former London
County Council. Deer show no respect for man's administrative divisions and so
the above boundaries have been interpreted rather loosely. The names of places,
together with the parish in which they occur, have been taken from the
Provisional Edition of the 21/2 inch Ordnance Survey maps which were published
from 1950 to 1961.
Organisation of the Survey
At the inaugural meetings, the aims of the Survey were explained and
people were encouraged to act as observers. Notes giving guidance on deer
observation and the completion of record cards were prepared and given to
people expressing an interest in the Survey. A talk was arranged on the various
species of deer occurring wild in Britain, including their identification and was
followed by visits to deer parks. Initially, it was decided to hold meetings at
various places in the county, the observers each investigating a different part of
the surrounding area for the presence of deer. After the first year, it was decided
to organise the Survey on a more systematic basis. Nine Local Recorders were
appointed who each adopted one or more of the county's sixty-one 10 km
squares. The duties of the Local Recorders were to encourage other observers
and to record systematically the presence or absence of deer in their areas. Local
Recorders compiled a summary of deer records received each month and sent it
to me. Information about deer which was sent direct to me, was forwarded to
the appropriate Local Recorder. To investigate areas of the county which were
not covered by Local Recorders, meetings continued to be held.
Newspapers and magazines, both local and national, were informed of the
Survey and an appeal made to readers to report any deer seen. The appeal was
repeated in 1971 when the results of the Survey were being updated. Since 1971
records of deer have continued to be collected, but on a more casual basis.
Records
Ideally, a deer survey should be based on actual sightings of animals by an
experienced observer but such a council of perfection was impossible in a survey
undertaken by amateurs. All sight records of fallow deer, including those of
animals involved in road accidents, have been accepted at face value because,
during the Survey, it became apparent that this species was widespread in
Essex. A few errors in identification would be unlikely to have much effect on
the results. Sight records of all other species were checked by an experienced
5