Strange Antlers on Red Deer

Antler deformities

Arran is well known for its red deer which are easily seen around  Lochranza and on the flanks of the fells when going across the Sting Road, for those who don’t want to stray off the beaten path.  The Estates and Forestry Commission on Arran take the management of deer seriously, ensuring that stocks stay healthy and numbers are maintained.



Little and large antler - asymetric so likely to be injury related.

But like any wild animal anomalies and injuries can occur, sometimes with striking results for the red deer!

Antler deformity, injury or disease?

Antlers are large, branching bony appendages on the heads of the male red deer.  Antlers are shed and re grown each year from a pedicle.  New antlers are covered with a soft skin called velvet which helps too supply nutrients to the underlying growing bone. Once the antler is fully grown the velvet is shed and the bone underneath dies becoming very hard.  It is this dead bone that is the mature antler.

Curly antlers used to be seen around Catacol believed to be genetic

The growth of the antler requires a significant amount of nutrition and is the fastest known bone growth of any mammal. Lack of nutrition or minerals may be the cause for some abnormalities.

Fractured skull around pedicle caused this one.

The antlers are fully grown and hard by the time of the rut (mating season) and they serve as fearsome weapons between battling males, and can inflict fatal injuries. Fighting may damage or break an antler but it does not cause the growth anomalies shown in these pictures.

Plain antlers without tines, likely to be genetic.

The full reasons for abnormal antlers are not fully understood although some conditions are hereditary (most likely cause for the curly antlers), and these occur year on year and genetic causes will affect both antlers. Curly antlers were once a regular feature of deer around Catacol.

Hooks at the ends of the tines in this case were thought to be caused by liver fluke

Injury to the pedicle or skull can cause a direct anomaly to the antler, and also it has been well documented that an injury to the leg can cause a deformity in the antler on the same side! Both of these display as a one sided defect.


Curly antlers

Parasites and disease such as cryptorchism and hypogonadism, are the other most likely causes, along with the previously mentioned nutrition.

A closer view of the fractured skull and resulting deformity.

More curls

All images copyright of Arran in Focus

http://www.arraninfocus.co.uk/

Pheasant - A brief overview

Pheasant cock

Pheasant are not a native bird in the UK although they have been around for a considerable time, possibly as early as the 10^th century. They are a regular sight on many country roads where they seem to forage at road edges, dicing with death, near to car wheels. They are very easy to spot along the Machrie Moor Road.

Cock with hen in the background

The main habitat of pheasant is around woodland edges, grassland and shrubby open ground, although they roost in trees of an evening and take shelter in woodlands.

Muted tones of the hen pheasant

The Estates that rear pheasant and conduct shoots take considerable care in managing the bird welfare and habitat for the birds.  This has an impact on other wildlife and a study by Game and wildlife conservation trust found this created favourable conditions for song birds and fauna.  It is the opinion of some experts that the pheasant population would collapse without the regular release of reared birds and the land management that goes with it.

Red legged partridge, also found in small numbers on Arran

The popularity of the pheasant as a game bird grew throughout the 19^th & 20^th century, overtaking the partridge. It is estimated that around 30 million pheasants are released each year. The pheasant is believed to be the most hunted bird in the world! Although commonly seen, the birds quickly recognise hunting parties and retreat to safety and hiding.

Pheasant retreating from human contact

The birds do not fly by choice, preferring to run or walk.  When they do fly, it is only for short distances and with a noisy wing sound and alarm call.

Working dog retrieving a hen pheasant

The male is known as a cock and the female a hen. The female, as with most birds, is much plainer and has a shorter tail. Young take the appearance of a female until they are around 10 weeks old when the male plumage begins to appear.

Some of a shoot 'bag'

The season for shoots in the UK is the 1^st October to the 1^st February, the birds are protected outside these months.


All photographs copyright of Arran in Focus

Tartan and tweeds

Alastair wearing the Dougarie Estate Tweed

Originally tweeds were associated with Scottish or Irish clans and was made of a very rough, and almost felted, woven wool material. These tweeds associated to names are known as tartans. This later developed into a hard wearing cloth, generally for the working man, and was used to identify groups of people linked to a particular land owner or Estate (it could be compared or considered the forerunner to denim!); when the owner couldn’t claim a right to use a tartan they designed their own tweed. Many modern tweeds have developed into a more refined cloth and include luxurious wools such as cashmere and mohair.

Dougarie Estate Tweed

The name ‘tweed’ is thought to have been derived from the word twilled or tweeled (the Scottish version of twilled). Twilled is a method of weaving where the weaves are stronger and create a diagonal pattern in the cloth. The conversion of the name from tweeled to tweed appears to originate from a London Merchant in 1830 who misread some handwriting and advertised the cloth as ‘tweed’.  The name has stuck ever since.


A more colourful tweed

Tweed continues to be favoured by Scottish Estates and provides a tough, wind and water resistant fabric for anyone involved with country sports. Water resistance is provided by the outer part of the fabric absorbing a small amount of water and swelling, hence keeping the inner dry. The designs are created so that they blend with the mountain surroundings, providing camouflage for stalkers and shooters alike. Despite the need for camouflage there is an amazing array of colours used in the weaves. The Dougarie Estate tweed was designed by Haggarts of Aberfeldy for Mr Gibbs in 1974. This tweed blends well with the mountain surroundings encountered during the main sporting season.  Bolts of fabric are made up into traditional sporting clothing of jackets, breeches, waistcoat and hats.  The breeches are known as ‘plus-fours’.  Plus fours extend 4 inches below the knee and give a greater freedom of movement, particularly when climbing upwards, than plus twos (2” below knee) or knickerbockers (knee length).

There are over 200 different Estate tweeds most of which are detailed in a book by Johnstons of Elgin.

 

Red deer on Arran

Red deer stag

There are 4 species of wild deer in Scotland but only one on Arran – the Red Deer. The red deer is easily recognisable and can be found on the open hills throughout the year and is often seen from the String Road.

Deer roaming through the glen 

Since the native wolf population disappeared there are no natural predators of deer, but numbers do not range out of control as Mother Nature naturally culls by providing harsh winters and limited food supplies.  In addition, there is an active Deer Management policy across Arran. Deer on Arran are counted every March, using helicopters to access more remote glens, and these numbers help to determine management policies

A Hind  

The stags weigh around 150 – 240 kg, and the hinds 110 – 170kg.  Stags are typically around 4 foot tall at the shoulder, but the neck, head and antlers make them appear much larger.

The velvet covering on new antlers

The antlers are shed each year at the end of winter.  New growth is covered with velvet, before this is shed to reveal the calcified horn below. October is the time of the mating season, known as the rut.  Bellows ring out through the glens and stags can be seen pacing parallel to each other as they assess their components size before either retreating or fighting to secure harems of hinds. If a fight does happen, serious injury can be inflicted by the antlers.  After the rut, at the start of winter coats become thicker and in stags a ‘mane’ can sometimes be seen.

Stags often collect branches and other debris on their antlers during the rut - it may be an attempt to make the antlers appear larger and therefore be a more formidable opponent. 

Brodick Castle has an amazing collection of 87 mounted stag heads adorning the walls of the main hall and staircase. These show off the antlers and just how lethal a weapon they can be.  A stag with 14 points is known as an Imperial, and one with 12 points a Royal.  Large numbers of points are only found in mature stags.

2 Stags in winter coats

Red deer, as wild animals, belong to no-one, however, the right to shoot an animal lies with the owner of the land and this is done through stalking, usually with a trained gamekeeper and only at certain times of the year.

Dougarie Lodge - Isle of Arran

Dougarie Lodge sits on the western side of the Isle of Arran, just north of Machrie.  The lodge was built in 1864/65 as a shooting lodge for William Hamilton the 11th Duke of Hamilton. The Duke was married to Princess Marie of Baden and they had three children, William, Charles and Mary.  Mary married PrinceAlbert of Monaco and later Count Tassilo Festetics of Hungary. It is thought that her European connections and perhaps the influence from Bavaria and Hungary gave the interior a uniqueness – certainly in Scotland – of deer skin panelled passages, windows over fireplaces and horn door handles.  The lodge can be seen clearly from the road however other aspects of the estate are not so obvious.

To the front of the lodge a lawn stretches to the banks of the River Iorsa, and to the side lays terraced gardens in a castellated folly designed by James Mather in 1905.  The gardens are opened to the public 1 day a year, and no doubt will be subject of a more detailed blog then!

Further away from the road and separate from the lodge is the Towers.  Plans for this ruinous castellated style, were drawn in 1875 by John Currie. Although the 1^st edition OS maps show buildings on this site in 1837 but these are presumed to be older parts of the present complex.  The Towers includes a domestic house, bothy, kennels and various outbuildings.

At the side of the Towers is the Game Larder.  This was built in 1883, but little is actually known about it as no plans have been found. It is a large dodecagonal building very similar to the Bavarian summer house at Brodick Castle (also formerly owned by the Dukes of Hamilton).

All the buildings mentioned are Grade B listed. Oh, and Dougarie is pronounced 'Doo gry'

House of Machrie - Royal Brush

The House of Machrie is located on the Machrie Moor Road about half a mile from the western shores of the Isle of Arran. This Victorian mansion is set in beautiful surroundings with fabulous coastal views towards the Mull of Kintyre, a stone walled front garden and tall mature trees.

The house belongs to and is part of the Dougarie Estate.  At one time it was owned by the Dukes of Hamilton and belonged to the principle farm on the Island.  There was even a brush with Royalty in 1904, when it is recorded that King Edward VII, accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, 'took tea' here after a days deer stalking on Machrie Moor.

The building is very typical of 16th century domestic Scottish architecture with crow stepped roof gables and a circular tower with turret, which houses the grand staircase.

Nowadays the House of Machrie can be rented for holiday breaks or as a sporting lodge for larger parties.  The house can sleep up to 14 in two double bedrooms and 5 twin rooms.  It also has 2 large reception rooms and a large conservatory. 

Not to mention the reception hallway, drying room, outside pantry and games room with bar billiards and table tennis!

The large dining room can seat 14 comfortably. We even allow well behaved pets to stay!  Further information can be found on our website www.dougarie.com