The expansion of deer numbers through the countryside of mainland Britain during the late 20th century has been well documented in recent scientific literature and the implications for forestry and conservation are currently being widely debated. The impact of high deer populations on forestry, agriculture and nature conservation interests can be considerable and has been reviewed elsewhere recently, e.g. enact Vol. 3 (3) (1995), Putman (1994), Diaz & Burton (1996), Veal (1996).