Head to Head

Locked in a  head to head battle; all the thrills, spills and testosterone fuelled sparring of the rutting season at it's high point now in October. 

As the light eerily penetrated the fog at Bushy Park the area resonated with the soulful bellowing of the stags, echoing over the grasses and bracken in an otherwise totally peaceful scene this morning.

Wading through the in parts shoulder high bracken and occasionally hiding behind a tree with a lens poking out I watched as the stags fought in the dawn light, charging past at speed then connecting with a clash and clatter. Very impressive and you really wouldn't want to be in the way. The competition is fierce because the doe is only fertile for a day or less each year. These are Fallow Deer the only ones with palmate antlers. 

To say it was exciting is a massive understatement; there was a huge adrenalin rush - even my camera steamed up -  so much so that a couple of times I was shooting blind. I've never seen a rut before except on TV and never had stags running sooo very close. An all action morning!!! 1400 photos :)))