Deer forest

For the park in Michigan, U.S., see Paw Paw Lake#Deer Forest.

The deer forest (Gaelic: frìth) is an institution and phenomenon peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland. It denotes a sporting estate which is kept and managed largely or solely for the purposes of maintaining a resident population of red deer for sporting (deer stalking) purposes.

Typically, deer forests are in hilly and mountainous areas of the Highlands and Islands; and, despite the use of the term "forest" they are almost all devoid of trees. They usually extend to 10,000 acres (40 km²) and more, and deer which live there belong to the small-bodied, hill-dwelling race of red deer typical of northern Scotland, which have adapted to life on open hills after the loss of woodland habitat.

Most deer forests are not fenced or enclosed in any way, and the deer can move freely across large tracts of hill country. Boundaries, referred to as marches, are usually marked by a river, stream, ridge, shoreline or similar natural feature. Hind forests and stag forests are so called because of the tendencies of red deer to form large, single-sex herds outside the autumn rutting time, and most forests hold either a resident stag herd or a hind herd for much of the year.

In deer forest, the term forest is derived from the ancient and medieval use of the Latin word foris - "open" or "waste", to denote an extensive outdoor "waste area" kept as a hunting preserve.^{[citation needed]}

Scotland's deer forests are almost all privately owned and managed, although a few once-distinguished forests such as Torridon and Glenfeshie have moved into semi-public ownership via bodies such as the National Trust for Scotland, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Ministry of Defence, and sporting deer stalking is no longer carried on there.

List of deer forests

• Aberarder Forest
• Aberchalder Forest
• Achentoul Forest
• Achnashellach Forest
• Amat Forest
• Applecross Forest
• Ardverikie Forest
• Attadale Forest
• Badanloch Forest
• Balmacaan Forest
• Balmoral Forest
• Balmore Forest
• Barrisdale Forest
• Beinneun Forest
• Ben Alder Forest
• Ben Armine Forest
• Ben-Damph Forest
• Benmore Forest
• Blackwater Forest
• Boblainy Forest
• Braemore Forest
• Braeroy Forest
• Bunloinn Forest
• Cabaan Forest
• Caenlochan Forest
• Ceannacroc Forest
• Cluanie Forest
• Coignafearn Forest
• Corriehallie Forest
• Corriemoillie Forest
• Corrieyairack Forest
• Corrour Forest
• Coulin Forest
• Craiganour Forest
• Culachy Forest
• Dalnacardoch Forest
• Dalnamein Forest
• Diebidale Forest
• Dalnaspidal Forest
• Drumrunie Forest
• Dundonnell Forest
• Dundreggan Forest
• East Benula Forest
• East Glenquoich Forest
• East Monar Forest
• Erchless Forest
• Fannich Forest
• Fasnakyle Forest
• Fisherfield Forest
• Flowerdale Forest
• Forest of Atholl
• Forest of Birse
• Forest of Glenartney
• Forest of Glenavon
• Forest of Harris
• Forest of Mar
• Freevater Forest
• Gaick Forest
• Garbat Forest
• Glenaffric Forest
• Glencalvie Forest
• Glencanisp Forest
• Glencannich Forest
• Glencarron and Glenuig Forest
• Glendoe Forest
• Glendhu Forest
• Glenfeshie Forest
• Glenfiddich Forest
• Glengarry Forest
• Glenquoich Forest
• Glenshiel Forest
• Glenshieldaig Forest
• Glenshirra Forest
• Glen Strathfarrar Forest
• Guisachan Forest
• Inchbae Forest
• Inchnacardoch Forest
• Inchnadamph Forest
• Inverinate Forest
• Inverlael Forest
• Inverpolly Forest
• Inverwick Forest
• Kildermorie Forest
• Killiechonate Forest
• Killilan Forest
• Kinlochewe Forest
• Kinlochhourn Forest
• Kinlochluichart Forest
• Kintail Forest
• Kinveachy Forest
• Langwell Forest
• Leanachan Forest
• Ledgowan Forest
• Letterewe Forest
• Levishie Forest
• Locheil Forest
• Loch Choire Forest
• Lochrosque Forest
• Mamore Forest
• Morsgail Forest, Lewis
• Moy Forest
• Portclair Forest
• Rannoch Forest
• Reay Forest
• Rhidorroch Forest
• Royal Forest
• Sherramore Forest
• Shieldaig Forest
• South Harris Forest
• Strathconon Forest
• Strathgarve Forest
• Strathnasheallag Forest
• Strathvaich Forest
• Struy Forest
• Talla Bheith Forest
• The Queens Forest
• Tollomuick Forest
• Torridon Forest
• Tummel Forest
• West Benula Forest
• West Monar Forest
• Wyvis Forest

^[1]

References

1. ^ Ordnance Survey One Inch maps of Scottish Highlands

• Deer Stalking Scotland