Roe buck stalking opens on 1 April in England and Wales; in Scotland roe bucks have no close season.
The table compares England, Wales, Scotland (Northern Ireland has no roe deer season in law). Dates are the statutory open seasons, each linked to its source, last checked 2026-10-17.
Open in the UK today: Roe deer – Bucks, Roe deer – Does. Opening soon: Roe deer – Does.
Status is worked out from the statutory dates each day. Always confirm on the official agency page before you go out.
| Species | Country | Dates | Bag | Status | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roe deer – Bucks | England | 1 Apr – 31 Oct 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Does | England | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Bucks | Wales | 1 Apr – 31 Oct 2026 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Does | Wales | 1 Nov 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Opens soon | — | Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1 (close seasons) (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Bucks No close season for male deer in Scotland since 21 October 2023 (SSI 2023/184). | Scotland | No close season | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Order 2011, as amended by SSI 2023/184 (checked 2026-10-17) |
| Roe deer – Does Female deer close season under the Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Order 2011 as amended in 2023. | Scotland | 21 Oct 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | — | Open now | — | Source: Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Order 2011, as amended by SSI 2023/184 (checked 2026-10-17) |
In England and Wales the roe buck close season is 1 November to 31 March, and the roe doe close season is 1 April to 31 October.
Source: Deer Act 1991, Sch. 1
In Scotland roe does may be shot from 21 October to 31 March; male deer have had no close season since 21 October 2023.
Source: Deer (Close Seasons) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2023
In Scotland roe may be shot with an expanding bullet of at least 50 grains at 2,450 ft/s and 1,000 ft-lb.
Source: Deer (Firearms etc.) (Scotland) Order 1985, as amended by SSI 2023/332
Roe deer are not listed in Northern Ireland's deer close seasons.
See registered land boundaries, protected sites, open access land and season dates on an offline map in the HuntScout app. A boundary on the map is never permission to shoot.
Seasons by country: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland · all UK shooting seasons
By species: pheasant season, partridge season, grouse season, woodcock and snipe season, duck and goose season, deer season · lead ammunition ban