Please tell me every thing you know about the fallow rut

Stuart Philpott

Stuart Philpott

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Stu
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That's it basically. I am slowly building knowledge on a herd,time is not my own (in some ways this is a cheep skate short cut) I'm based in the midlands which might affect commencement. Besides my wants when I dig I learn about Red,pick up little bits here and there about fallow. So I pondered,how useful it might be to other folks that would desire this knowledge,that frequent this forum.

I know their are almost captive herds on estates,I have one close by,but really it's those twitchy buggers that live outside us(ha in blightly) that i'm interested in. Although the others may well respond to the same environmental factors I'll take those too ,they might provide insight. But what i'm really after is those guys that have absolutely no fence around them.

thanks for any help or insights

Stu
 
Bugger looks like I'm on me own, was so hoping for some expertise but hey ho,things are looking up. Guys up until yesterday I was having to track by road or footpath,this is a lot of deer. We found a different footpath and tracked that which lead us back to known ground again saw deer in abundance but metal gates can be so noise to get through. Anyway as we exited the woodland which is stalked,the farm forman was working his butt off sowing,I waited until he was close a short chat,between him and farm manager who was doing the same maybe 200yds away and we now have our permission at least over the fields. It was very amusing,all the time we were being watched by say 30 does and fawns, he seemed somewhat in disbelief that a guy would seek permission to take a photo,his final words are unrepeatable here but revolved around there are your deer,go get 'em and had me in stitches

I pretty much only have long distance grab shots so far,but we have seem lot's of females and kids,but hardly a buck in sight.curious??? Why??? way too many girls for one fella

I'll back all this up with pics if anyone is interested,but don't expect the stella stuff you guys produce yet please,the I'm not quite there as a tog yet,ha but I can still stalk a deer(thank god) I thought i'd lost that after the hash I made a couple of weeks back

This is funny:It's a place where one can view alot of ground so me being me I took shaz out for dinner and cooked her bangers on my little stove on the edge of a wood on the footpath. Naturally because I'm now a tog I had my camera besides me all set ready for,well nothing really,half way through putting Hugh Fernly to shame a groups of 3 does and a couple of fawns walked out besides us,so I manages a couple of pics after a quick stalk up the hedge of one of the fawns,not great but ok.

Yesterday evening we only had about an hour ,with our new permission,but it was lovely,one field in quick detour up a ditch and hedge and we were on a smallish group. Mainly this was just observation ,so the pics were not of primary importance watching and learning was so I didn't try to get any closer. Of note a couple of probably yearling bucks started having a spat,but where are their dads.

Anyway I'll leave this there just two lessons I learnt,stay aware ,don't relax until you switch the camera off and put it back in the car, and a 1Div shutter is too loud and some in continuous to get very close,without then hearing that shutter.
A fallow doe was withing yards of the car,wind(very slight breeze) in my face and cover of a hedge I pretty much walked up to her,she had no idea I was there, first pics and it all started to fall apart she was pretty relaxed gave me a right good stare,sure jumped,but came back to feed second pics and she was pronking away a few yards before stopping turned gave me a right good stare,still not able to find the source of the noise more pics game over.

Going to be good fun this stoked we have that permission hares here too,saw a spar yesterday :)
seeya
Stu
 
"Turn up at <insert deer park of choice>, watch fallow run away, photograph the reds instead"

I don't have any insight but I reckon they're our most pretty deer, so I'll look forward to seeing your results.
 
Thanks for the encouragement Paul, and for making me smile!! But don't expect too much from me just yet,ha unless I fluke something,I'll get there though. We do have a captive heard close by they seem pretty relaxed actually,but then they see alot of folks visiting the country house. These on the other hand are something else!! I don't think we have a red population wild around here,fallow muntjac and roe are in abundance though which is lovely and a challenge to get close to. I also have the hide to visit and practice at,but even though the images are much easier to obtain,it's someone else's work. If I can get anything good here it will be hard won and mean so much more to me!!;)

Here's a fawn from that little group that made an appearance while I was cooking our bangers,really funny .

F70F9029 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

A quick unprocessed grab shot,just to show one small group in this population

F70F9169 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Another rough shot while sat observing,I've pushed the contrast and am not happy with the processing,at all. But it was never really going to be a keeper as i'm shooting through some long grass that was providing cover(ha i've managed to loose the raw at the moment too ,but when I have more time I'll find it). A couple of young bucks in practice mode

F70F9233 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr


Finally for the moment the doe by the car

F70F9251 by Stuart Philpott, on Flickr

Not really results as such Paul ,but crit is welcome from anyone anyway,even though this was really posted as a talking about thread. It seems a shame not to post a few pics here to show a bit more of the tale Whether results will come who knows,but it's really exciting learning about them and having the freedom to use the land a bit more now,than we previously could. Thanks again Paul.

take care

Stu
 
Nothing :)
 
Crit? NOT my area of expertise but I can't see much wrong with those shots. Well done for asking the farmers permission to access the land too.
 
Thanks Nod. Seems plain common sense really Nod,i'm new to this more serious side of photography but not to being around farmers or the countryside. another pair of trusted eyes on their land is something they are oft glad of. From my point of view this joy I have ,which most of us share here,with being with nature,would be tarnished if I had to look over my shoulder,so it's all good.

many thanks

Stu.
 
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