The Roaring Equinox

Today is the official start of autumn, and with it came a hard frost here. This has triggered the red deer stag in the Castle deer park to start his roaring. The stag is normally one of the more timid deer in the park, but at this time of year that all changes as the rut begins. Out in the wild the stags roar and fight to compete for females. A successful stag may win many hinds into his harem, a feeble stag may breed with only one or even none. However, the stag in our deer park doesn't have any competition, the ladies are all his, but he doesn't seem to know this and roars and struts his stuff just the same. The deer in the Castle park are in better condition than those in the wild as they have an easier life, and usually the stag starts to roar a little earlier than those out in the wild.

Stags add sticks and vegetation to their antlers to make them look bigger and more impressive

Both the wild and the park stags are now in the peak of their condition with their antlers full grown and a summer of good feeding helping them to put on weight.

If you fancy a closer look at wild deer during the rut, come on one of our landrover tours on Sundays throughout October http://www.atholl-estates.co.uk/visit_land_rover_safaris.cfm or join our ranger guided walk on October 14 http://www.athollestatesrangerservice.co.uk/ranger_activities_adults.cfm