Stag rutting season - see the kings of the forest and their autumnal duels
Hear the stag bellow during September and October
It is also the time in which the largest species of wild animal in Lueneburg Heath makes its presence felt. This is stag rutting season. While other animals prepare for the winter by eating enough food to add a layer of fat for the cold winter days or by hoarding fruits in their winter nests, the autumn season is a time of passionate suffering for the deer.
From mid-September to mid-October, the stags fight for the title of “top dog” in the vast forests of the Suedheide. The otherwise peaceful antlered animals become bitter enemies at this time. Their loud bellows to keep the competition at bay and the pack members together can be heard far and wide.
Hard to believe, but true!
The majestic deer do not eat during the rutting season. They only sleep a few minutes a day and mate with the deer several times a day. At this time, the 200 kg stags lose up to a quarter of their body weight.
Peace returns to the forests of the Südheide at the end of October, when the stags replenish their lost rutting reserves to survive the coming winter.
Our tip:
Our tour guides in the Suedheide offer guided tours during the rutting season. Hike with a tour guide to the stags during the evening and listen to the magnificent bellowing of rutting stags.
Click here for the rutting tours!