A solitary animal (2), the Bawean deer is usually only seen with another deer if it is a mother and her young, a courting pair, or two rival males fighting over a female (4). When with another individual, the Bawean deer can be heard communicating with short, sharp, barks (4). Although capable of breeding at any time of the year, Bawean deer mate primarily between July and November. After a gestation period of around seven months, the majority of young are born between February and June (4). With a preference for grazing (2), the Bawean deer feeds chiefly on forbs and grass-like plants (4). Occasionally, it may also feed on crops (7).