Encountered wild deer and measured the numbers (7)

I believe the answer is:

metered

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'measured the numbers' is the definition.
'metered' can be an answer for 'measured' (metering is a kind of measuring). I'm not certain of the 'the numbers' bit.

'encountered wild deer' is the wordplay.
'encountered' becomes 'met' ('meet' can be a synonym of 'encounter').
'wild' indicates anagramming the letters.
'deer' with letters rearranged gives 'ered'.
'met'+'ered'='METERED'

'and' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for metered that I've seen before include "As water may be" , "Measured" , "Gauged" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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