Largest native game species

The red deer is the largest native game species. Male red deer are called stags, females are called hinds. The stags wear magnificent antlers with which they also fight territorial battles. Hinds and calves are antlerless.

Way of life

Red deer feed on plants and prefer grasses and herbs, berries and fruit, but also buds and young shoots of trees.

Stag rut

During the mating season in autumn, the stag makes sounds referred to as “roaring”. In May or June of the following year, the hind gives birth to a calf. To be particularly well camouflaged, the calves have a spotted coat. This way, they hardly stand out from their surroundings. The male red deer usually lives together with other deer in a herd. Only at mating time do they join the female herds and the calves.

Caption
Adult red deer have a very large habitat that extends over many square kilometres.
As red deer are ruminants, they eat up to eight times a day.

Have a feel!

You can tell from tracks like these that red deer have walked along here.