Figure of the Forest

Japanese sika were first introduced into Ireland in 1860 in an attempt to bring more exotic animals into the country. The sika were first released into an estate in County Wicklow, where they were bred and distributed to other estates. Many escaped and can now be found living wild in various locations around Ireland. During my time in Ireland, I spent a few hours hiking through Killarney National Park on a calm autumn afternoon. I was aware deer lived in the area so I kept my eyes up as I navigated through the lush forest, hoping for the off chance I might see one.  Walking down a well-beaten path, something in the bush to my right caught my eye. I stopped and noticed a brown patch hidden between two trees. I thought, is that a deer? Na. I took a few more steps forward and realised oh wow it is! It was looking straight at me over its shoulder. I didn’t have my camera to hand then, so I slowly moved to the left where a tree was blocking the deer’s line of sight. Carefully placing my bag