Easy ! for the stags round here.
From first light this morning I watched a group of 10 stags, all in good nick. Playfull from the off, bit of jousting going on but nothing too serious. They spent the first hour of the day making they're way over three stock fences, heading for the open hill, a distance of about 3-400 yards, picking a bite here and there but not really grazing. Once on the hill they climbed maybe 150-200 ft, once again picking a bite as they went mixed in with a few more jousts, this took maybe half an hour.
Once they reached the deeper heather all ten settled down with only heads showing and there they stayed, all day. Lovely day here, but the stags were quite happy to stay in the shade rather than do a bit of sunbathing. Not one stag moved till about half four, five o'clock, thats a good eight hour doss, chewing the cud. From that time till dark they had a few more jousts and a couple of running battles interspersed with a bit of grazing. I know most of the grazing goes on under the cover of darkness, but it does seem an easy life for the end of February. Feeling jealous really, nice way to spend a Sunday with your mates !
From first light this morning I watched a group of 10 stags, all in good nick. Playfull from the off, bit of jousting going on but nothing too serious. They spent the first hour of the day making they're way over three stock fences, heading for the open hill, a distance of about 3-400 yards, picking a bite here and there but not really grazing. Once on the hill they climbed maybe 150-200 ft, once again picking a bite as they went mixed in with a few more jousts, this took maybe half an hour.
Once they reached the deeper heather all ten settled down with only heads showing and there they stayed, all day. Lovely day here, but the stags were quite happy to stay in the shade rather than do a bit of sunbathing. Not one stag moved till about half four, five o'clock, thats a good eight hour doss, chewing the cud. From that time till dark they had a few more jousts and a couple of running battles interspersed with a bit of grazing. I know most of the grazing goes on under the cover of darkness, but it does seem an easy life for the end of February. Feeling jealous really, nice way to spend a Sunday with your mates !