The moment two exhausted rutting stags collapsed after getting their horns locked together

By JESSICA SATHERLEY

Tragically tangled: The two deer were found by the schoolboys in the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire, with their antlers tangled together

Two majestic deer were found fighting for life by schoolboys walking through a forest - after the stags' antlers became locked together.

Oscar Moulinie, 15, and brother Louis, 12, were shocked at the terrible sight of the rutting bucks trapped together in a cruel twist of nature.

Neither of the young stags could escape as their 30-inch long antlers were entangled together deep in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.


Rutting deer: The deer breeding season typically runs from the end of September to late October

The brothers stumbled across the heartbreaking scene as the young bucks were fighting in vain to free themselves.

Oscar and Louis raised the alarm in time to save the darker deer - but the white buck was too weak to survive the ordeal.


Oscar Moulinie (left) and brother Louis (right) were shocked at the terrible sight

Louis said: "One was on the floor and he was clearly injured, while the other was jumping around and struggling.

"He was barking and trashing, he was obviously very distressed and very scared.
"It was an incredible sight to see. It wasn't what I expected when I went walking my dog.

"It was really horrible to see these lovely animals in such trouble. We felt so helpless because there was nothing we could do to free them."


Rutting stag: During the rutting period, males often rub their antlers on trees or shrubs, as seen here

Wildlife experts believe they had been struggling for hours, getting slowly weaker as they battled to get free.

The quick-thinking boys ran to a nearby road to try and get help for the injured beasts.

The brothers alerted a passer-by the estate keepers who rushed through the woods to try to save the deer.

"If they hadn't acted so quickly both deer would have died. As it is we were able to save one."

"These boys did really well but people should be careful when approaching injured animals because they may lash out."


source: dailymail