Red Deer

Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) are very common in Rannoch. There is a group of Stags that are often to be found in Kinloch Rannoch. Red Deer come down to the glen from the hills when hungry in winter and spring and try to find food in the fields. In autumn the roaring of Stags in rut can be heard far and wide. This is the time when the stags compete to be able to mate with the hinds. successful stags will have a group of hinds.

In the hot weather in summer deer will move into the River Tummel in Kinloch Rannoch to keep cool.

Red Deer are of commercial importance because they generate income for estates as people will pay to stalk them and shoot them. Their venison can be sold and is sufficiently valuable (with subsidies) to make it worthwhile farming them. There is a large deer farm on the Innerhadden estate.

There are no apex predators (wolves, bears, lynx) left in Scotland and so the Red Deer need to be culled or they starve to death in winter. The truth is that too few are culled and not only do some starve but they also prevent trees from growing and the only way to successfully grow trees is to exclude deer with a high deer fence.

Further Information -
Red Deer - Wikipedia