Wildlife watch
From locking antlers to grazing quietly in the morning mist, red deer are a gift to photographers, says Oscar Dewhurst
Now is the time to capture the majesty of red deer. oscar dewhurst presents his practical guide
OCTOBER is a great time to photograph red deer as it is rutting season, when males (stags) compete to mate with the females (hinds). Sporting huge sets of antlers, the stags look nothing short of spectacular, and images of them bellowing and fighting can look fantastic, particularly in the right light. This, combined with their tolerance towards people when in deer parks, makes them an ideal subject for this time of year.
It’s also worth noting that locations frequented by deer may also harbour ticks, some of which can carry Lyme disease. It is therefore always a good idea to check yourself over for ticks when you get back home.
Habitat
Red deer are a favourite of photographers in the UK. Fortunately there are plenty of locations where you can photograph them, from the more ‘wild’ populations in Scotland, southwest England, Cumbria and the Peak District, and East Anglia, to those enclosed in the many deer parks dotted throughout the country, such as Bradgate Park in Leicestershire. Have a look online to see if there are any locations near you. Outside deer parks, they are found in forests (especially conifer plantations in Scotland), as well as on open hillsides and moorland. Arrive early and listen for the bellowing of males, which is a giveaway of their presence.
Best time to shoot
Red deer activity is greatest early in the morning, so I always make the effort to get to my location before sunrise. The weather conditions can also make a big difference to the photos: clear skies overnight can mean morning mists, giving you the opportunity to shoot into the rising sun and capture images with a lovely golden colour across them. Sunset can also be a good time to photograph as the sun is, again, lower, but you will not get the mist like you do at sunrise. Autumn is a good time to photograph them but in winter many stags will still have their antlers, giving the possibility of images taken in snow. Photographing red deer during the summer also offers the possibility of images of fawns with their mothers, and males with velvet- coloured antlers.