Fallow Deer hunting in South Africa

Although not the biggest of the Africa plains game antelopes on offer when hunting in South Africa, the fallow deer (Dama dama) remains a rewarding and exciting hunt. It is available for game hunting safaris throughout South Africa, with the best provinces to target them being the Free State and Eastern Cape. The fallow deer was introduced by the British into South Africa and various other African countries during the mid-1860s.

They prefer open grasslands and woodland areas but are highly adaptable in terms of habitat. They are herbivores that mostly graze on grass, leaves, and herbs and supplement this with berries, nuts, fungi, and bark. Fallow deer are most active in the early morning and late afternoon.

Following the rut in March-June, the female gestates for 210 days, with a single fawn being born, while twins are highly unusual. The mother will hide the new born from the herd for the first few months, returning to the hiding spot to feed every 4 hours.