Red Deer Identification and key facts

In favoured areas, Red Deer hinds sometimes gather in large herds of up to 50, or more, animals. In late summer and during the subsequent rut, typically in the same places, the hinds are joined by a smaller number of Red Deer stags.

Red Deer summer coat is a dark or sandy red/brown. In winter, dark brown/grey. Adult Red Deer usually have no spotting; calves are white spotted. Red Deer stags develop a thick, dark mane for the rut.

Red Deer rumps are usually paler than the body colour. Red Deer have a quite broad, sandy brown, tapering tail, with little contrasting colour.

Red Deer antlers are long, cylindrical - contrast this with the fallow deers' broad, palmate antlers. Multi-pointed - sometimes as many as 8 points on each.

Red Deer use a year-round cough-like bark. Red Deer stags roar during the rut - a sound almost like a cow’s ‘moo’, but of considerably deeper tone.