Fallow deer good meat and 'brilliant' pets

The Hale family have been farming since the 1980s in Waikanae and continued to breed them after they moved to South Otago. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Drive south from Milton and a mob of fallow deer next to the state highway invariably catch the eye.

They belong to Tom and Deb Hale, who have been farming them since the late 1980s, originally on an 8ha property at Waikanae.

When the couple moved to their 97ha South Otago property close to 20 years ago, they continued with the breed.

It was a misconception fallow deer were difficult to handle - "they are funny animals but no problem to handle" - but they could not be chased like sheep. "You've just got to let them do their own thing," Mr Hale said.

Tom Hale farms fleet-footed fallow deer near Milton. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

The Hales had between about 400 and 500 fallow deer and they bred them for venison production, destined for the Mountain River processing facility at Rakaia.

Mr Hale described the deer as a "hobby as much as anything", with numbers making up about one-third of stock numbers on the farm, the remainder being sheep.

Fallow deer breeders were "few and far between", which was a pity as they produced good meat, he said.

Fallow deer were first introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s.

Mr Hale was a member of the Fallow Deer Society which was established to encourage, educate, and support the farming of fallow deer.

They also made "brilliant" pets, with Mr and Mrs Hale bringing four south with them when they moved. Those lived until they were about 17.

They would come up to the Hales in the paddock which was funny for an animal that was so flighty.

"Once you tame them, they stay like that. They don't revert like a sheep does."