When the leaves turn and there’s a cool wind in the air, I get itchy to take photographs. Not far from me is Cannock Chase, a beautiful forest in Staffordshire.
I first went two years ago, just after I got my camera. This autumn I went back with the same camera — and my first ever stag rut.
Close to the rut
I was shaking with adrenaline, so close to where they were fighting — a few shots came out blurry. More than once the stags stopped, stared, and started walking straight towards me. I backed off quietly and quickly.
What surprised me was how close they were to the main road. A few metres away, grunting and fighting, completely relaxed — and nobody driving past seemed to notice.
The place where my journey began — two years on, the subject hasn’t changed, but the photos have.
Good to know
Watching the rut
- When Autumn, when the leaves and heather turn.
- Keep your distance If a stag stares and walks towards you, back away quietly.
- Look near the road The deer can be a few metres from the main road.
- Be patient High heather hides a lot — wait for them to move into the open.
