Have I seen my first rut?

[nicowilson]

I was out early yesterday morning with the dog. It was before sunrise, so probably about 5.30am. I walked along the side of the field, feeling chuffed to bits as the dog was actually walking to heel.

I look up, and about 150 metres away I see what I think is a roe doe in one of the entrances to the field. It was side on, and presented a nice silhouette against the morning light. Suddenly it moved and ran, almost sprinting, along the hedge. A few seconds later another roe appeared - I think a buck - in the same entrance. Again, it was side on. It then ran off along the hedge.

Have I seen my first rut?

Here's a photo of the field. The blue circle shows where I saw the deer, and the blue arrow (sorry, been playing with Skitch!) shows the direction that the deer ran.

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

hard to say nicowilson but it does sound like it may have been a buck chasing a doe or even one buck chasing another off, the roe rut can be quite a complex drawn out affair and rutting activity can be seen in many forms from buck just literally following does not letting them get more than 20-30 yards away to them chasing does at full speed round and around in a fiugure 8 pattern and then obviously you will see bucks going at one another aswell chasing one another off and if your very lucky you may even see them lock antlers but all of this is obviously dependant on what point of the rut you are in

 

[nicowilson]

hard to say nicowilson but it does sound like it may have been a buck chasing a doe or even one buck chasing another off, the roe rut can be quite a complex drawn out affair and rutting activity can be seen in many forms from buck just literally following does not letting them get more than 20-30 yards away to them chasing does at full speed round and around in a fiugure 8 pattern and then obviously you will see bucks going at one another aswell chasing one another off and if your very lucky you may even see them lock antlers but all of this is obviously dependant on what point of the rut you are in

Fair point. Thank you. This is very helpful.

I didn't have the opportunity to get my binos out as it all happened too quickly, and unfortunately I didn't have time to follow the deer as I had to get home, feed the dog, feed myself and then rush to the station to get the train into London.