The antlered red deer is an awesome sight. The stag uses his antlers as a weapon when fighting other males for access to females during the mating season each fall. In summer, the coats of these attractive and impressive animals are a bright, chestnut brown. In the fall, the deer grow waterproof guard hairs, which turn their coats much darker. Wild herds are found in forests and parkland throughout their range.
Forests are the red deer s natural habitat.
Where the forest has been cleared, the deer move onto open land. Some deer live on open land year round, others retreat to wooded glens in the worst winter weather. Red deer are primarily grazing animals. They feed on grass by cutting it between their sharp lower incisor teeth and their hard upper gums. They also have strong teeth in their cheeks that enable them to eat twigs in the winter, when grass is scarce.