THE RUT: The autumn´s grand spectacle of 2025
Location: El Millarón (Extremadura, Spain)
The rut, often called the deer mating season, is one of nature´s most dramatic autumn events. It is the annual period when red deer stags compete to mate with hinds (female).
The fascinating behavior is characterized by several key actions:
- Roaring: Stags emit deep, powerful bellows to assert their dominance, intimidate rivals and attract females.
- Rutting: Males engage in spectacular clashes, locking their large antlers in shoving matches to stablish supremacy and win a harem.
- Patrolling and marking: Dominant stags tirelessly patrol their territory, trashing vegetation and marking their area to warn off competitors.
The rut occurs primarily during September and October. The best time to witness it is at dawn and dusk in forest and natural parks where red deer populations thrive.
