Deer mating season

Autumn is without doubt my favourite season, every year at the end of summer I look forward to losing myself among colourful woods. Everything is perfect, the colours, the light, the temperatures…and there is something else, a natural wonder happens in this magical period: the Deer mating season!

Male Deer is an amazing animal, it’s very elusive and lives alone most of the year, in fact it’s really difficult to spot, as it hides in the thick of rough woods.

Instead female Deer live together in herds, each social group is led by a matriarchal female.

Approaching the mating season, male Deer totally change their behaviour, they travel very long distances (even 50 kilometres or more) in search of females, they can smell a pheromone excreted by females.

When they finally reach the heard, they have an abnormal level of testosterone and they become aggressives, as they are polygamous, meaning they will mate with several females throughout the season.

But only the stronger Male (called dominant) can do that. It will defend its territory and herd, first with its powerful roar, warning other males to keep away from its area.

If another male tries to approach the herd, they will fight until one of them will be defeated.