大象传媒

Over a thousand years ago, fallow deer were introduced to southern England by Norman settlers for hunting. By late autumn, when the fawns are well grown, the does come into season and the mature bucks start spoiling for a fight, roaring challenges to one another while pacing around. Each year the male's complete set of antlers is shed and replaced by a new set. This is a huge strain on the body of the buck. Strutting shoulder to shoulder, rival males size each other up. This parallel pacing stalls the need for physical contact but if they are equally matched they will engage in a gruelling clash of horns that can last for hours and may lead to death by injury or sheer exhaustion. More usually though, all that is needed is a harmless brief encounter to resolve the dispute. The defeated male will then display his frustration by calling and scuffing at the ground with his hooves. The winner will mate with the does.