The rut peaks in October and during this time the bucks begin to parallel walk, sizing each other up. If another male approaches, they will start to below loudly (a sound that needs to be experienced!) as a way to warn them. If neither backs down they will clash antlers until one of the contenders if either injured or exhausted. The victorious buck gains the right to mate with the nearby females.
The best times to see the deer rutting is early morning when it’s quiet in the park.
In October we count the deer in preparation for the cull over winter. As deer have no natural predator in the UK anymore, it’s important to manage the herd. If we didn’t cull them each year, the herd would suffer as a whole. There wouldn’t be enough food and the herd’s health would suffer.
By November, the parkland trees are bare and this is the perfect time to see the deer.
The park guides can often be seen walking around the park, and they are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. If you want to know more about the park in general, the wildlife we have and the buildings you see in the park, then you could join a free guided walk daily at 1.30pm. We have special free guided walks on the 1st Saturday of every month.
Top tips for helping us to look after the deer:
- The deer look tame but they are wild animals. Please do not feed, touch or get too close to the deer. Unfortunately if they get too tame, we have to cull them.
- The deer don’t like human food – even though they will eat it (deer are born to eat non-stop!) it can really upset their diets and make them very ill. They get all their nutrients from the grass, or the trees. They also don’t need help eating: they are definitely able to reach the leaves in the trees.
- We ask that you keep dogs on leads at all times whilst in the deer park.
- Please don’t picnic in the park – you are more than welcome to enjoy one in the garden or the north park (near the car park) year-round.
- Look out for the deer sanctuary sign – this is a deer only place and is signposted. Please don’t enter this area as it’s where the deer relax away from the crowds.
- Watch out for path closures – there may be areas of the park that are closed during certain times of the year, e.g. during fawning season. Please ask at reception or look out for signage.