An observation on deer behaviour

During a develveting visit to a deer farm during the past season a seemingly bizarre behavioural pattern was observed. Due to the large number of red deer stags in the yards at the time, and because there was some difficulty in drafting one previously develveted but rather dominant stag, it was found necessary to release 6 stags with velvets intact but injected with an immobilising drug (“Rompun”, Bayer) into the same pen. Whilst these animals were becoming narcotized, a further 6 stags were being medicated…