The rut

One of my favorite things to snap in october is the deer rut, can spend hours just lisning to the deer near where I live, I`m being told by a friend that the rut has already started in some places, seems far to early to me, any one heard this at all?

Hi Paul,

Great shot! I haven't heard any reports of it starting yet, but I'm visiting my parents in the New Forest in a couple of weeks, so hope it may have started by then!

Very nice image,well timed.

I was talking to a guy who breed fallow deer today and he is expecting them to start the rut in the next week or so.

Stu.

Yea Pete, that's were this was taken, down past Rhinefield in the forest, looks like it may be early then, better plan for an early morning for the next few weeks.

This is very nice Paul.
John
Aberdeen

Great shot Paul - can almost hear him.

Is there a known spot in the New Forest for Red Deer photography or do they move around a lot and it being a case of plenty of hard work and stalking?

Would love to try and get some shots this year.

Best wishes

Paul

Please don't post the location on a public forum. The place was an absolute joke last year.
Completely overrun with photographers,with the majority of them having absolutely no respect for the deer whatsoever. The deer were litteraly forced from pillar to post by b***y idiots who had no idea how to approach or photograph animals whatsoever.
It was infuriating and embarassing to witness.
It also completely ruined most chances for any decent shots of the deer behaving normally due to the animals being completely surrounded by people and forced into the wooded plantations.

PS. This isn't a pop at anyone on this forum.

I echo what Justin says - last year I gave up and left the camera at home and just watched and listened. I'll be getting my Red Deer photos somewhere else from now on.

Justin, I`m glad to say I`ve not encountered that, I get there very early, and on a Sunday, but did notice a few people trying to wander into restriced areas, but not exsessive. But have sent a private message to Paul for area anyway.

Thanks Paul for your understanding.

Its a fine line; the line between accepted and disturbing.

Seals, Deer, Dippers, Adders, Badgers, Water voles, the list goes on and on; a list of 'locations' where any self respecting wildlife photographer would immediately leave due to the untold pressure that inexperienced (or just plain stupid and greedy) 'snappers' are placing on our subjects and usually at the species most sensitive/vulnerable time of year.

It should be remembered that this forum is read by 100's, each of these have a network of friends, and not all of these people may have the welfare of the subject as their first criteria and these are just people with a camera.

A major worry of mine, particulary as a Mod, in the words of Nigel Blake, is

Also it is hard to know or be sure who else may be looking at these web pages for information that might help them to pursue wildlife crimes such as egg collecting or the persecution of birds of prey!

I think there are times we, as wildlife photographers, have to say, "this is just plain stupid and contray to the subject welfare" and because of this be prepared to walk away from a site.

I won't say that 'to walk' is a very simple thing to do, it is hard at first, but it may only be when 'people pressure' is at its height at a particular site.

Last year we had a dipper incident and I, along with a lot of others on this forum, did not return to the site and, in retropect, is was quite easy to do if you remember the following;

a) if there is that many photographers present then the subjects behaviour may not be normal; stress will be seen in your photographs - and even if you cannot see it others with more experience in that species will: what will that say about you?
b) and you will hardly have captured something unique - the rest of the people present will have approximately the same.
c) we are not journalists looking for some uncharacteristic behaviour to put on a tabloid front cover, we are wildlife photographers looking for what is natural.
d) There will be other sites for that species where you will be alone with it -

Please don't always take the well trodden path as it lacks true learning potential, and to paraphase a poet, Robert Frost, the road less travelled can make all the difference.

This isn't a dig, its more of a plee.

T

Good words

Paul

I echo Paul's comment, good words indeed, and many thanks to Tom for sharing them.

All the books in the world can be found to learn the technical stuff but it's the message contained in the above words that's what really makes a true wildlife photographer.