Red deer roaming across the Longshaw Estate

Among other spectacular wildlife, the Eastern Moors and Longshaw are home to a completely wild herd of red deer, the largest land mammal in the UK. Easily recognised by their magnificent antlers, stags (males) weigh in at up to 240kg and stand 1.3m high at the shoulder. 

Hinds (females) are smaller and don’t have antlers. They’re territorial and a large herd lives on Big Moor, which is where the stags head back to in September for the rut.

The autumn spectacle of the rut starts in mid-September and runs until mid-October. Males compete with each other for the choice of females to mate with. Their bellows can be heard resonating across the moors, and if the loudest roar doesn’t decide the dominant male, stags will size each other up with ‘parallel walking’. Equally matched males will occasionally lock antlers, aiming to use their massive strength to push the other male bodily out of their territory.

The winner of these competitions is rewarded with a harem of females with whom they breed.  Older and younger males often live on the periphery of the group hoping to mate with another stag’s females while he is otherwise occupied. Mature males in peak breeding condition are around 8 years old and can have a crown of antlers with up to 16 points, known as a “monarch”.

A walk along White Edge at this time is often rewarded of year with a sighting of these enigmatic animals. If you'd like to take part in a guided red deer event this Autumn, visit the Eastern moors website for information.