Plate IV. Wild fallow deer near Brentwood, October 1969. The male, ear-
tagged as a newly born fawn, is 27 months of age.
C. W. Hutchings.
The Mill Green group of fallow deer were based on the woods between
Mountnessing and Writtle, to the south-west of Chelmsford, and these animals
probably merged with the above group. Again, the deer were rarely found south
of the A12 road although there were occasional records of fallow around
Billericay and to the south and east of Chelmsford. Seven deer, believed to be
fallow, were seen on a road at Havering's Grove in June 1967 and a few tracks
were seen in a stubble field at Stock in October of that year. Three roe deer were
reported from Forty Acre Plantation at South Hanningfield in the summer of
1968 but these were almost certainly fallow deer.
Fallow deer were found to be numerous to the north-west of Chelmsford,
ranging from Willingale in the south to Leaden Roding in the north and
Roxwell in the east. The deer crossed the River Can on occasions and spread
some kilometres to the east. For example, in 1965 and early 1966, fallow deer
were present in Lyonshall Wood at Great and Little Leighs. During March
1967, fallow tracks were seen at Little Waltham. In May-July of that year,
tracks were also seen in the neighbouring parishes of Hatfield Peverel and
Terling, and a fallow buck was seen in June. Later visits to the area failed to
reveal any evidence of fallow deer. In January and February 1966, fallow were
seen at Broomfield, only 5 km north of the centre of Chelmsford.
1!)