Stag Party

We (Geoff and I) came across this stag party of eight along Uber Water this afternoon. Passing real close to them, they didn't seem too bothered by us, they watched us carefully though held their ground. A couple had nicely developed racks, the rest, antlers of various sizes; antler size does not represent age, more the health of the deer. New antler are grown each year in only a couple of months, ready for mating season. These antlers will undoubtedly be last seasons antlers, ready for shedding any time now, and then in April we'll see the new ones develop. A wonderful sight, indeed. I wonder if they were watching me knowing I've taken that skull and rack from the forest for a project, I promised I'd return them and later in the year I will.

Antler project pt1

I went back out to Holmhill today and collected the antler rack I found earlier in the week. I know I said I wasn't sure about removing it from the forest, and that's still the case. The antlers will be returned to the forest, but I have a plan for them. Strapped my pack the antlers again moved through the forest, weirdly at one point a deer approached me (or rather the antlers) and was noticeably surprised when I emerged from the undergrowth. Walking back on Sunday a picture began to form in my mind of what the antlers were meant for, pondering on it today, I'm sure it's right. 

Nice rack!

Wow! I always say, walk off the beaten track to really find the forest and if you do she'll reveal her secrets to you. Walking I came across a deer's skeleton, flesh long gone, the bones remain articulated, well, in place at least, all except for the skull. I look about for the skull but it wasn't to be found, oh well, I thought, imagining the prize had already been found I moved off.  Something made me alter my course and I turned through 90 degrees, 5m on I found this majestic rack, some meters from the tail of the skeleton, presumably moved by animals. Of course, I thanked the forest for the guidance given, and marvelled at the rack. I've found antlers many times (I have a load of them, I've used for things like soft hammers for knapping), small racks too, but nothing like this. Strangely though I was overcome with the feeling that this find belonged to the forest, I could take though it wouldn't be right, and so I hatched a plan. I hid the rack, and walked on, putting flesh on the bones of my plan (if you excuse the pun) as I went.

Bratley Wood

I never forget how lucky we are living as we do in such a fantastically diverse party of England. At the weekend we were walking the world heritage landscape of the isle of Purbeck to our west, the area of outstanding natural beauty of Cranborne Chase is within easy access to our north, and of course, the wonder which is the New Forest stretching to our east, on our very doorstep. A golden triangle of landscapes.  Today we were roaming the open woodland of Bratley Wood in the New Forest, an area of woodland pre-dating enclosure and filled with ancient pollarded Beech and Oak, venerable leviathans. The woodland is more open now, as over the last 30 years old trees have succumbed to the elements; there are rotted hulks scattered here which were felled in the Great Storm of '87. It's wonderful walking. Bratley's towering trees of ancient date have a majesty unlike any of the other forest woodland. That's a thing about the forest woodland, although usually a mix of similar species and often within a similar age range, each has a unique air and quality. Bratley is one of those with a timeless quality. Amongst the wooded fringes which flank Bratley Water (which flows below Brately Wood) I disturbed a resting stag, who startled, rose, barked and watched me intently.  We stood watching each other for a few minutes, he'd occasionally bark and I'd reply, he'd stamp a foot and I'd do the same...stalemate.  Eventually, we'd both had enough, and went our separate ways. It was an interesting interaction, though I fear I'm no Doolittle. Shortly after I found a shed antler bathed in Autumn sun, lying ready for me to find. Dropped amongst the thin straight trunks of a Beech and Birch block (one of several) planted some years back to fill the holes in Bratley's canopy.  There was a lot of deer activity in the woods today.  A lot of energy in the woods all round.