98
The Essex Naturalist
sand/earth/gravel surface, but it is not impossible. At Crown Hill Road
underpass fallow slots were found 50 m away from the underpass, on the
northern side. They approached to within 25 m of the underpass, then turned
aside into the woodland on the left. No more were found. Muntjac tracks were
found leading under the underpass, and were picked up again underneath it.
Muntjac tracks were also found on the mud leading away from the Selvage
tunnel, in such a position that they must have come from inside the tunnel,
travelling south to north.
As the Woodredon bridge is so well used, it is worth taking a closer look at
the results; the numbers and direction of the slots are relevant, Table 7 below.
Table 7: Details of slots crossing Woodredon bridge, with their direction
Prediction of Deer Presence
The criteria used to predict whether deer would be present in a given area are
based on observations of the conditions in the northern bufferlands where the
deer are known to be plentiful. The criteria are:
• An area of woodland of at least 250 square metres is present.
• An area of agricultural land/field/meadow of at least 750 square metres is
within 750 metres of the woodland area.
• There should be no substantial barrier between the field and the wood.
Unfenced A-roads are not held to be substantial barriers; nor bridges.
• There should be no conurbation, habitation, cat park, bus stop, park or golf
course, or ride within 250 metres of the area.