Photographer captures incredible pictures of stag at Suffolk estate

Paul Templeton captured the amazing image at the Helmingham Hall estate, near Stowmarket.

Mr Templeton said he has been taking pictures of the animals at the estate for the past six years.

Stag at Helmingham Hall (Image: Paul Templeton)

He has found the perfect spot on a public footpath to capture the animals in action.

Mr Templeton said during his time watching the animals he has been lucky enough to capture pictures of battles between the animals.

He said: "I have been photographing these beautiful red and fallow deer on the Helmingham estate for over six years now, arriving just before sunrise at this time of the year as the rutting season begins for the next few weeks.

Pictures of two stags fighting at Helmingham Hall (Image: Paul Templeton)

A wonderful shot of deer in the winter months at Helmingham Hall (Image: Paul Templeton)

"This is the most interesting and active time of the year to photograph the fallow and red deer stags battle and compete for a Hind or just protect his herd of Hinds by bellowing loudly to keep away other amorous stags.

"The same behaviour applies with the fallow deer bucks and does.

"I have witnessed some ferocious fighting by them over the years where a gang of three bucks attacked one other buck who tried to infiltrate the herd of does.

Paul has been capturing pictures of the animals for the past six years (Image: Paul Templeton)

Paul said he is able to use a long lens to capture the pictures of the animals (Image: Paul Templeton)
"I usually visit this location about eight times a year to take photographs and would like to stress that all my photos are taken with an extremely long telephoto lens, and always from the public footpath that is clearly marked.

"I've worked out that the herds of deer have a repetitive migration pattern as they move about the estate, and now I will wait near where I expect them to pass.

Deer on the Hemingham Hall estate (Image: Paul Templeton)

Stag bellowing out at Helmingham Hall (Image: Paul Templeton)

"Sometimes I have waited over three hours for them to come past the place I selected to wait.

"However, the rewards of the long waits on occasions are well worth it, and these I think show in the photos."