Red deer rut Scotland. The red deer rut takes place in Autumn, in Scotland. Rutting stags are the mature red deer males challenging others and establishing their dominance to impress and win over hinds. The competing stags are full of testosterone, and their roaring can be heard day and night. An evocative and ancient sound, deeply embedded within our glens for over 10,000 years. The roar of a stag is an incredible sound, and can be heard throughout the highlands where deer are present. Remember the sound as the current governmental trend is to wipe out deer.
Red deer rut Scotland
The dates for the rut starting and ending tend to vary because it is driven by the colder weather. Rutting stags can travel 20+ miles in search of hinds and new territory. They have spent the summer months growing their antlers, putting on weight and condition for the rut. Stags will challenge and fight with other stags. They will focus on nothing else, rarely eat and as a result they will eventually lose all their condition. At the end of the rut, stags will be thin, out of condition and worn out. Sadly, some will be injured and die. Sometimes we find old stags resting up for days trying to bolster their strength. It is an incredibly important time for the stags to gather up hinds to mate with and create the next generation.
Good advice during the rut
Understandably, people are keen to witness red deer and other species rutting. The stags are impressive, and in great condition and everyone wants to capture some photographs with their phones (likely) or cameras (least likely!). It is important to consider deer welfare and your own personal safety. Although deer are not aggressive animals, if cornered or humans are stupid enough to get in the way of rutting behaviour they will act like the wild animals they are. The British Deer Society offers a range of very good advice.
