STAG NIGHTS! September/October
2007
The end of summer - you could be forgiven for
feeling depressed at the thought of receding daylight, temperature
drops, more wind and rain, end of the holidays......only so many
shopping days to christmas!!
Well I'm going to paint you a different picture. The early autumn
is a thrilling time of transition and change, not just in terms
of weather, but rich pickings for you wildlife enthusiasts and
wild food foragers. By this time of year I am usually in a state
of utter relief - the crazy days of high summer are over, we
can return to a more rhythmic pattern of life, and get to bed
earlier for much needed rest and renewal after a long season
of running WildWise's events, camps and courses.
As for wildlife, well the opportunities abound. Autumn is the
great seducer and helps us forget the demise of summer, especially
in the woods and moorlands of Britain, with a stunning spectrum
of changing colours. With this kaleidoscope of the dead and the
dying, comes the bounty of berries, fruits, nuts and the mad
mosaic of mysterious mushrooms - so beloved of the bushcrafters!
But there is a great deal of dynamic activity too within the
animal kingdom as migrant birds both depart and arrive - how
exciting to see the first fieldfares and redwings arrive! Time
spent at our estuaries and coastline will bring rich rewards
of waders, geese either passing south or arriving to winter and
the 'fly-bys' of passing migrants. If you've never witnessed
the dramatic leaping of salmon and sea trout as they strain to
swim upstream in our freshly filled rivers you are in for another
wild treat!
One of the most exciting wildlife encounters, however, you can
expect to have in the British Isles takes place at this time
- the rutting rituals of the red deer. Now for all you survival
enthusiasts, show some respect - the red deer is a true survivor
having endured both a ferocious ice age and the endless pursuit
of man as hunter. Its still here today, about 300 000 in Scotland,
and represents one of only 2 truly native deer species (along
with the roe), testamount to its versatility, courage and adaptability.
Although the fallow and sika deer rut at this time too, there
is something special about watching our largest terrestrial mammal
clash with another in order for the greatest prize of all.......the
right to reproduce. Fighting and having sex - thats whats on
the agenda for these prize-fighters in the autumn, and whilst
I can relate to at least one of these impulses, I'm not sure
I would be willing to risk my life for a quick one in the bushes!
Much of it is posturing of course, but if there is to be a potential
clash between two titans, of similar size, then there may well
be a 'rumble in the jungle' - and if you are fortunate enough
to be there at the right time, you are in for a spectacular sporting
event. A 190kg combat of kings - a gladiatorial conflict that
will leave you breathless and exhilarated...and glad you are
not involved! The stags have been spending the late summer/early
autumn on a weight-gaining, condition-improving diet of grasses
and heather (they prefer to graze rather than browse) and with
the onset of the rut their necks and testes will increase in
size. Those engaged in the sport, usually 5-11 yr-olds, will
not eat much, preferring instead to concentrate on the business
of preserving their genes. Its not all about the clash of antlers
either. Much like a downtown saturday night after pub closing-time
where the males shout, swear, threaten, swagger, and then chase
the females, the stags are doing the same sort of thing. Fighting
generally follows a set sequence. It starts with the master stag
approaching the intruder; in younger stags this is normally sufficient
to displace them. However, if the intruder is more confident,
a period of parallel walking and mutual roaring will precede
the actual locking of antlers. The more serious challenges will
involve repeated antler locking and pushing until one stag is
pushed backwards, at which point there will be a short pursuit
and the contest will end.
Listen out for their bellowing, a deep gutteral challenge to
any would-be competitor, or the barking issued to chase away
young pretenders. The stags' equivalent of an alluring aftershave
is to wallow in a muddy pool, diluted in urine - mmmm irresistible!
Between the herding and chivvying of the hinds, plus the occasional
mounting or bit of fighting, you can see that the species is
somewhat preoccupied which is why its such a brilliant time to
go and watch them.
In my part of the world, on Exmoor, during October,
they emerge from the coombes and valleys to become very conspicuous
on gorgeous russet hillsides where tree cover is sparse, which
makes observing them so easy. For a number of years I have taken
a few days to visit this beautiful national park during the rut.
We have always been rewarded with close views of the stags, and
its great fun to track them on foot - though be warned, don't
get too close, they have been known to attack! What a feeling
though, slithering on your belly through the bracken, creeping
closer to a large, stinking, horned beast!
Apart from deer parks, they can also be seen in the Quantocks,
in the Lake District, the Highlands of Scotland and even in Richmond
Park, London. So my advice to you this autumn is to take every
opportunity, (and take everyone who will go with you!), to immerse
yourself into the sights, smells and sounds of wild Britain -
even if its only on your doorstep! |
