Deer of the red variety and a Double blog day! (A to Z challenge)

Yes madness set in a while ago but it truly is starting to show as I now try to juggle two challenges, one lasting a whole year and the other just for the month of April.  But trying to blog daily is a little scary, and I am doing it to try to improve my writing skills and not the image side. 

Stag during rut

Red deer abound on the Isle of Arran and there is much history surrounding the herds and previous land estate owners who take on the responsibility of managing the numbers.

On the hill sides and in the glens herds roam and can easily be seen even from the road (especially along the String and Boguillie).  The red deer that inhabit the mountains and forests are wild and will move away from people, unlike the herds that gravitate around Lochranza.  These are less fearful of people and this can lull visitors into a false sense of believing the animals are tame.  Beware they are NOT!  During the rut, males can become especially aggressive and the antlers are lethal weapons.  Likewise the deer do not like dogs and will frequently attack lose dogs that approach too closely (as the local vet can testify)!  Two stags fighting over a harem, can be a violent affair if earlier posturing has not deterred one of them.  Antlers get broken and deep gouges / stab wounds may cause the death of a rival (meanwhile the females / hinds graze on).

Mountain stag

The deer shed their antlers every year and these can sometimes be found lying in the heather.  Tiny scratch marks on these are caused by small voles and mammals gnawing to ingest vital minerals.The Lochranza deer are attracted to the lush green grass of the golf course – an amusing hazard for Arran golfers (not just the deer but also the poo).

Close up of antler showing lethal points

Further information about the deer and peculiarities can be found on these links:-

Red deer on Arran

Strange antlers on red deer