View Full Version : deer rut
robin wood
29-09-2008, 15:28
woke early this morning after a busy weekend and decided to see if the rut was underway. I only recently heard about a local population of red deer on a very isolated part of the moors not far from Sheffield. After wandering around for an hour or so I heard my first stag roaring and set off in the direction of some birch woodland. I had to cross a large expanse of blanket bog with lots of pools and sphagnum, got very wet and peaty. It was worth it though as over the next hour and half I was treated to close views of several stags in full horny mode roaring away. The only downside was having got my slr and 300mm lens out I left it at home so no pickies, I'll have to go out again. It was followed by a stunning clear sunrise before the drizzle started on the way home.
Is the rut underway in your area?
Shambling Shaman
29-09-2008, 16:25
We are halfway through the stag season - and no roaring yet??
no roaring yet but i found stamping grounds for red and a deer foot print that was bigger than my hand blimey i thought maybe its a hummel.
Shambling Shaman
30-09-2008, 16:31
No hummels see yet and the biggest stag was bag yesterday 15stone 5. The gillys had to drag it 1/2 mile ish to get it to the pony (glad it wasn't me)
15 stone thats not much they shot one at shadwell stud a couple of months ago it wieghed 50 stone its antlers wieghed 17 stone
Watched a large red stag getting a bit agitated with the other two young males in the herd yesterday, posturing and continually chasing them away. He didn't seem too impressed with being watched by me and Glenn either. At one point we were looking around for a handy tree to climb but I think it was all bluff and bluster. This was near Scoriton on the edge of Dartmoor. No actual roaring yet though.
Heard the first Sika 'whistling' today out on the heath so the Sika rut is underway down here.
Bob:)
robin wood
30-10-2008, 21:05
Went out again last week and remembered the camera this time, I took a friend out who was staying with us and as we were walking in to the site I realised some of the deer were out on the moor to our left. We sat with out backs to a stone wall and they came quite close. Here they are. They were downwind and suspicious but could not see us, the stag kept prancing up and down and posturing like a youth outside the nightclub. We watched them for 20 minutes or so before they headed off across the moor.
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/thewoods_album/IMG_6399.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/thewoods_album/IMG_6416.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb176/thewoods_album/IMG_6421.jpg
British Red
30-10-2008, 21:49
Lovely :) .
firecrest
30-10-2008, 23:50
really sheffield? I live round there 4 days a week, where abouts?
robin wood
31-10-2008, 07:40
"Big Moor" near Longshaw. Walk along "White edge" and you will hear them.
Down here the reds have been roaring for about three weeks now, but heard my first fallow last monday evening.