It’s early morning on a balmy September day. Domenic Godly shoulders his rucksack and gets ready for work. There is nothing to hear except birds chirping and the sound of the stream. But the peace is suddenly disrupted by a loud noise. It almost sounds like the roar of a bear. But Domenic Godly gives a warning: “That is the red deer. It’s stag rutting time.”

Domenic has been working as a park ranger in the Swiss National Park for around 25 years. The job, in Switzerland’s most beautiful nature reserve, is one of the most unusual in the country. The activities involved are surprisingly varied: In addition to monitoring flora and fauna, it also involves maintaining the national park’s infrastructure and providing information to guests. Research projects are becoming increasingly important.

Domenic sets off at a brisk pace. He knows Val Trupchun like the back of his hand. The valley is “his” territory and it is part of his job to keep everything in good condition. Domenic shakes his head in answer to the question whether it’s boring to hike in the same valley so often. “I still discover something new every day. The branches of this larch were still green yesterday. Today they are already a little lighter in colour. Winter is coming.” The first shades of yellow do indeed shimmer through the forests and the alpine meadows appear paler. 

Before winter arrives, a very special nature show takes place in Val Trupchun. Every year, between the end of September and the beginning of October, is the mating season for deer. This is also known as stag rutting season. The kings of the forest vie for the favour of the females, with their imposing antlers and deep roars. While the stags assert their dominance in the wild, the mountain valleys are filled with their haunting call. You can feel it in your very bones. Stag rutting shows the wilderness of Graubünden in its purest form. It also attracts numerous visitors. 

The valley is a popular destination, especially during stag rutting season. Individuals, families, school classes, senior citizen excursions – dozens of people hike in Val Trupchun every day. The Senda Val Trupchun starts in Varusch and follows a circular route to Alp Trupchun and back again. Various resting places along the way invite you to linger and watch the animals. “It’s always nice to see how interested people are, both young and old alike,” says Domenic. His passion for his job as a park ranger is palpable. 

In September, the stag’s hormone levels rise. The cooler and rainier the weather, the more active the red deer. The dominant animals, also known as “leaders of the herd”, search out a group of hinds. Their aim is to mate with their harem and defend them against rivals. And why the loud roaring? “They do this to show their competitors who’s boss here and whose harem it is,” Domenic explains. 

In fact, the stags roar as a means of communication with their competitors. During rutting season, male stags produce deep, melodic calls that can be heard over long distances. “Each stag has an individual voice,” says Domenic. He can tell exactly where which leader of the herd is located. The stags use their roar to mark their territory, establish their dominance and attract females. In addition, roaring enables the deer to identify with each other and strengthen social bonds. 

And how often do two stags fight? Domenic smiles and answers: “Fights don’t happen as often as you might think.” Because a fight always means a great risk of injury and costs an enormous amount of energy. Deer have their own tactics for marking their territory. One of these is bellowing. In addition, the deer secrete a foul-smelling secretion from the preocular gland. The stag’s perfume, as Domenic sweetly calls it, is deposited on bushes and trees to mark their territory. Another typical rutting ritual is raking the ground with their antlers. This intimidates younger males in particular. 

Domenic points across to the other side of the valley. “Look, there are two strong stags moving in parallel.” He explains how a competitor that is willing to fight has invaded a stag’s rutting ground. First, the two take threatening steps in parallel to each other. If both opponents stand firm, a fight ensues. The stags then collide head-on with their antlers and push each other across the rutting ground. The fight ends when one of the opponents realises his inferiority and takes flight. Very rarely, one of the rivals may be killed in battle. 

The two stags on the other side of the valley are in fighting mood. After a short time of running in parallel, they attack each other head-on. Domenic draws the attention of visitors in the rest area to the fight. Young and old alike cast their gaze excitedly to the other side of the valley and watch the battle. It’s a fierce battle. “These two are pretty similar in strength, which makes for an exciting battle,” says Domenic. The stags push each other from right to left, up and down the mountain. A dislodged rock rolls down the mountain and branches get broken off. 

There can only be one winner in a fight like this. The showdown is over almost as quickly as it began. Visibly exhausted and out of breath, the two stags separate. Victory goes to the stag in the best physical condition, not necessarily the one with the biggest antlers. As his prize, he gets to mate with the females. So the stag follows the rutting does until they allow mating to happen. “The decision rests with the women,” says Domenic with a grin. In fact, the hinds do not accept just any partner, even when they are ready to mate. They actively choose “their own” stag.  

After the rutting season, most deer leave the Swiss National Park in mid-October. The animals spend the winter on the sunny slopes of the main valleys in the Engadin and Münstertal. During rutting season, the stags and the female red deer come together. The rest of the year they live in packs, segregated by gender. The herds consist of mothers and their offspring from recent years. The male offspring leave the mother herd after about 2 years and join a younger deer herd. This allows him to learn from the experienced animals and become strong.

Young females stay with the mother herd. The animals reach reproductive maturity after about two to three years. Inbreeding is not a problem, according to Domenic. “Rutting is incredibly exhausting for the stags. After three years, the top stag is often replaced by a stronger animal.” This is nature’s way of ensuring that a stag does not mate with its female offspring.

Val Trupchun is an ideal place for observing rutting stags. The animals in this valley in the Swiss National Park are protected from human disturbance thanks to the restricted walkways. There is also plenty of nutritious grass and other plants. In Val Trupchun, the slightly weathered Allgäu ground layers quickly transform the soil into hummus. This absorbs a lot of liquid and is very nutritious. “Even now in autumn, the meadows are still green and the red deer have plenty of food,” adds Domenic. Val Trupchun is the perfect summer hideaway for deer. 

However, it is not only red deer that live in Val Trupchun. Ibex, chamois, marmots and, more rarely, bearded vultures and golden eagles can also be found here. During deer rutting, the other inhabitants withdraw somewhat, they avoid the rutting grounds and prepare for winter. Domenic watches two marmots carrying dry grass into their burrow. “They will need that to survive the seven months of hibernation,” says Domenic.  

The Swiss National Park is the country’s largest protected zone with a surface area of 170 square kilometres. Established over 1914 years ago, it was the first national park in the Alps. This patch of earth has been left to its own devices. It is a place where man does not interfere and nature is allowed to develop according to its own laws.

When the animal world goes into hibernation, a quieter time also begins for the park rangers. The Swiss National Park is closed to visitors in winter. Allowing the animals to live undisturbed by humans increases their chances of survival. This means that no unnecessary energy is wasted on escaping. Domenic and his colleagues spend most of the winter in the office. That’s the time for administrative work and research. However this year is a special one for Domenic: after 25 years as a park ranger, he can now enjoy his well-deserved retirement.