New Forest Rut

Alex90 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-10-2010, 11:13 PM

I'm planning on getting over to the New forest this weekend (either earliest train or a taxi as i'd like to be there for first light)

im hoping someone local might be able to tell me whats happening at the minute rut wise.

Are the Fallow or Red rutting yet has it got going at all? The red didnt really rut at all last year so im hoping they will do this year.

Are the Fallow on the stands at the back of the usual meadow (not sure if i should mention it on here or not

)?

There were still fallow rutting by the show ground into early november last year, is the new forest generally quite late in the rut?

Any info welcome!

Alex

mbaldw · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2010, 07:50 AM

Hi Alex,

when I was in the Forest early on Saturday, there were several groups of Fallow 'loitering' in the woodland around Queen's Meadow (although none actually in the meadow) and the occasional buck groaning. I didn't make it down as far as Ober Heath, but there was a lot of Red calling from New Park - I'm reliably informed that a couple of stags have come down from Hurn, so there is the promise of a bit more activity than the last couple of years. That said, I was talking to DeerStalker and he said he'd seen one photographer chasing a stag already, so who knows.

I'm planning on trying my luck in the Ober/Blackwater area this weekend.

Cheers,
Marc.

Alex90 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2010, 09:23 AM

Hi Marc,

I have always found ober disappointing in recent visits and rarely see anything other than a very small group of fallow in that area.

A lot of the action i saw last year happened at new park, particularly with fallow which is a real shame as the deer all end up there in what is pretty much just a field.

I have always found the back of Queens Meadow to be fantastic to stake out later in the day as the Fallow make their way towards the meadow, i have also seen a fox there on my last 3 visits(probably a lot of luck).

I think for red deer i will wait until we are on exmoor back end of next week!

Alex

mbaldw · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2010, 10:11 AM

Yes, the rut in general has been disappointing for the last couple of years in that area. Most of the Red deer sightings I've had have been just off Highland Water (in some of the glades opposite Queen's Meadow). As you say, the meadow is better later in the afternoon, although rogpow has some video footage of bucks groaning in the woodland (I think!) peripheral to the meadow earlier in the day.

Exmoor probably is a better bet for Red rutting, especially if some of the Reds in the Forest are already being hassled. If fewer of the large stags were shot on the private estates this year (which was a big part of the problem last year), there may be some better contenders and thus some more action. Time will tell.

Cheers,
Marc.