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JM Buchet Photography
The rut on the Isle of Jura, Scotland
I had been hearing about the Isle of Jura for quite some time. As I learned more about it, I discovered that it is home to several thousand deer (5,000 to 6,000) but only around two hundred people. Yet it is above all the setting that draws me there: a wild landscape of moorland, peat bogs and mountains, dominated by the Paps of Jura. A particularly appealing setting in which to experience a different side of the rut.
From the very first moments, I am struck by the setting, by the beauty of the landscapes as much as by the ruggedness of the terrain.
The stags roam across mountainous terrain, through moorland and sometimes very boggy peatlands. Barely have I arrived on the island when I spot the first individuals… An almost immediate encounter that gives me a taste of what is to come!
On Jura, the sea is never far away. It sometimes becomes part of the landscape, providing rather unexpected settings for the rut.
One of the distinctive features of the island is its small patches of woodland, where the deer can find shelter. Elsewhere, vast open spaces make it possible to spot the animals from a great distance… but they can see us coming too!
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