Red stags are at their most magnificent during the annual rutting season, when males compete for females. Their antlers grow larger, their necks widen so that they can roar louder and their posture becomes regal and commanding. But all this effort takes its toll.
Red deer rut
The annual red deer rut takes place every autumn. Essentially, at this time red stags compete for females, or hinds, in loud and often dramatic stand-offs. The name of the game is to collect as many hinds as possible and prevent younger males from stealing them. The name 'harem' has been borrowed from Arabic to describe a males' herd of hinds.
Scotland's red deer rut
This year I travelled to Ardnamurchan in the Highlands of Scotland to watch the red deer rut. I could hear the roaring of the stags ringing across the valleys from the moment I arrived.
Red stag roar
During the rut, a red stag's roar becomes louder and deeper. This is because their necks actually grow wider, a biological change that is thought to be triggered by autumn’s shortening days and makes space for their larynxes to open fully.
Red stag antlers
Stags grow new antlers every year, especially for the event. Hunters classify stags according to the number of points to their antlers. During my trip I watched an Imperial Stag, with 14 points, each gleaming with sharp white tips, and a Royal, with 12 points.
Red stag posturing
As the females come into season, testosterone surges through the males and they become visibly more aggressive and can clash antlers in dramatic duels. Their entire focus becomes about gathering hinds and guarding them. There are always competitors waiting in the wings to steal away a few females.
All this takes its toll
But the rut takes its toll on these magnificent beasts. Dominant stags get little time to eat or rest and can lose up to 30% of their body weight during this time.
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