Going into the hills on the west side of South Uist to about 2000ft, in an area that looks devoid of wildlife, you get out of your vehicle and stand stock-still, not making a sound - and you hear a roar in the distance.
Going into the hills on the west side of South Uist to about 2000ft, in an area that looks devoid of wildlife, you get out of your vehicle and stand stock-still, not making a sound - and you hear a roar in the distance.
Photographs: Christian Cooksey
Custom byline text:
Cate Devine
You still can't see the animals, but you can hear them. Then, your eyes adjusting, you start to pick them out.
"You see a red stag silhouetted on the skyline, with his harem of hinds behind him, roaring at other stags to stay away. You're still not seeing much and you stay as quiet as you can. The roar continues as other stags come into the area, ready for battle. It's deafening and surreal, like entering a gladiator ring. Fifteen stags roaring all about you, some with massive heads and antlers with up to 18 points. There's a lot of posturing. The main man is saying, 'Look at how big I am. I will fight you if you come too close.' It's amazing, like the wilderness equivalent of a city-centre pub on a Friday night, but perhaps a bit more spiritual."
We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.
Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.
