A Walk through Woburn

Charles Smith-Jones takes a group of game keeping students for a look behind the scenes at one of the world’s foremost deer parks with one of its experts

With the end of the academic year in sight, and the majority of the game keeping students fully up to date with their course work, it was time to round off the deer management unit in a fitting way. What better, then, than a trip to Woburn to be shown round by the experts who look after its deer?

We were met at the park larder by deer manager Dan DeBaerdemaecker and his assistant Martin Harwood. “We have 3,000 acres of deer park alone within the wall,” said Dan. “In addition to another 4,000 of fo restry and 5,000 of arable. There are also three golf courses and of course the Safari Park. It’s a working estate that has to pay for itself — and that includes us in the deer department.”

There have been deer in the park at Woburn for well over 400 years, and Dan sees his main role as preserving the herd. The first park records date back to 1735, but deer were hunted there long before that. “Our job is to make sure that they’re here for the next generation,” said Dan.

The park is the more traditional area containing the visible herds for which Woburn is famous, but there is woodland besides containing a wild deer population. As many as 500 deer a year are processed through the larder, a mixture of park and truly wild animals. Dan and Martin share the work between them, but are joined by a third member of staff during the winter when extra hands are needed. Between them, they manage the park, the wild deer outside it, and the deer farm as well.

There are nine species of deer on the estate at present, including a few exotics. In the wild there are fallow, muntjac, Chinese water deer and a few wild sika.

Though venison sales are a significant aspect of the estate income, client stalking is the main source, followed by sales of live deer from the farm. Nothing is wasted.