Get up and fight!

That seems very different to Bedfordshire where there is plenty going on and it will likely peak this week.

One thing I’ve noticed this year is the activity amongst the Sika is much higher than I’ve seen it before. They seem to be spoiling for a fight!
 
I've never seen that before. Nice one.

I have noticed that in general Richmond Park seems to have more going on then Bushy. Normally deer in Bushy are much more aggressive
 
I've never seen that before. Nice one.

I have noticed that in general Richmond Park seems to have more going on then Bushy. Normally deer in Bushy are much more aggressive
He eventually got up and there was a very delicate touching of antlers until the big (old) Stag moved on and then he lay back down again. :sleep:
 
I've never seen that before. Nice one.

I have noticed that in general Richmond Park seems to have more going on then Bushy. Normally deer in Bushy are much more aggressive
It does seem quieter than usual in Bushy, someone thought that there were fewer stags this year, the first cull being more aggressive than usual.
In a couple of weeks the fallow deer will start their rut, quite different from the red deer.
 
It’s unusual to see three stags so close together at this time of year. I’d expect to see them to be far apart from each other rather than sitting together.

In a couple of weeks the fallow deer will start their rut, quite different from the red deer.

The Fallows are quite aggressive for their size. Last year I watched two fallow fighting with a fence in between them. It was amazing to watch as they really went for it. The fence was getting a battering with them either side. I watch them for 10 mins before leaving them to it as neither was giving up. I went back the same way an hour later and they were still at it!

We also have Sika’s in the local deer park. It’s eerie hearing their calls as you walk into the deer park very early in the morning. It’s a cross between a scream and a squeaking door closing!
 
It does seem quieter than usual in Bushy, someone thought that there were fewer stags this year, the first cull being more aggressive than usual.


That seems likely. I like Richmond's approach of culling after the rut - it means they can ( & do) humanely cull any stags badly injured in the rut & reduce the numbers of stags culled accordingly
 
Think the Red`s Rut starts in September , so the big fights are probably over for them mostly . The Fallow should be getting in the swing of things right now I would guess .
 
Think the Red`s Rut starts in September , so the big fights are probably over for them mostly . The Fallow should be getting in the swing of things right now I would guess .
At my local deer park it’s usually the first 2 weeks in October when most of the activity happens. I find the males leave the area they spend most of the year in around the last few days in September. There’s usually a bit of bellowing late September. Once they start rounding up the females things start to get going a bit more.

Things seem to be about two weeks behind what they used to be a few years ago. Maybe something to do with climate change?
Climate change is an increasing point. A few years ago when we had a very warm autumn (Indian summer?). The rut that year seemed to be 2-3 weeks later than usual. My friend and I were discussing one morning that year whether colder autumnal morning was a trigger for the start of the rut and if the warm weather had delayed the rut.

We’ve had a few cold starts in the last few weeks and colder days too so it’s probably more autumnal than it was at the start of September. It’s interesting how different autumn can be so different across the UK. It never seems to peak at the same time across the UK. It looks like the rut is at quite different stages in different parts of the UK.

Edit: Ive just googled this point about climate change and deer rut. It seems research says the deer rut is occurring earlier than it was 40 years ago. It sounds like climate change is making it earlier rather than delaying. They think its down to warmer springs making giving birth earlier in the year ok. Interesting point as I thought it would delay it rather than bring it forward.
 
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Nice capture Roger- I watched a pair of Red Staggs yesterday over Porlock Hill, I did not have a camera with me- they were really going for it too :)

Les
 
It does seem weird, so much variation ... there are no signs of bodily injury amongst the stags at Bristol so if it is all over they all came out of it pretty well.
 
Nice capture Roger- I watched a pair of Red Staggs yesterday over Porlock Hill, I did not have a camera with me- they were really going for it too :)

Les
I can remember when walking Exmoor many years ago that deer sightings were so rare that people used dress in camo and even wear nets over their faces and hide in the bracken just to spot the deer. How times change when you can spot not one but two stags.
Probably something to do with the Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds :ROFLMAO:
 
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I can remember when walking Exmoor many years ago that deer sightings were so rare that people used dress in camo and even wear nets over their faces and hide in the bracken just to spot the deer. How times change when you can spot not one but two stags.
Probably something to do with the Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds :ROFLMAO:
As a youngster I roamed Exmoor and the Quantocks, hiking and camping, there were more Deer to be seen on the Quantocks than Exmoor. :)
 
I can remember when walking Exmoor many years ago that deer sightings were so rare that people used dress in camo and even wear nets over their faces and hide in the bracken just to spot the deer. How times change when you can spot not one but two stags.
Probably something to do with the Devon and Somerset Stag Hounds :ROFLMAO:


I use camo all the time Laurence, it works in helping break up your outline, so does staying still & quiet and have the wind in your face :)

Les
 
I use camo all the time Laurence, it works in helping break up your outline, so does staying still & quiet and have the wind in your face :)

Les
I also use camo Les but the people I'm referring to would take it to extremes like not bathing for a week beforehand so their odour would be less "clean and deodorised human" and more animal like. As I said they would also wear nets over their faces so the deer couldn't see the human face. We used to meet them in the village pubs sometimes, oddly they always had their part of the pub entirely to themselves :D.

When I was in basic the camo instructor used me as a model, he did me up to such a degree that my mates said I became truly invisible in the field. In the real world few of us could be bothered to reach the same level.
 
I also use camo Les but the people I'm referring to would take it to extremes like not bathing for a week beforehand so their odour would be less "clean and deodorised human" and more animal like. As I said they would also wear nets over their faces so the deer couldn't see the human face. We used to meet them in the village pubs sometimes, oddly they always had their part of the pub entirely to themselves :D.

When I was in basic the camo instructor used me as a model, he did me up to such a degree that my mates said I became truly invisible in the field. In the real world few of us could be bothered to reach the same level.


I'm an Ex-Army Sniper Laurence ( 2 Para) so camo did become 2nd Nature to me - and as Game keeper it was also a good idea not to be seen when Fox hunting or Deer Stalking

Les
 
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