With the arrival of fall, Italian woods echo a deep and primordial sound: the deers’ bellow. It’s the mating call of male deers, resounding in the valleys as an ancient voice, which marks the beginning of mating season. An intense and fascinating experience for those who love sustainable tourism and want to come into contact with the most authentic nature.
Why do deers bell
Almost all year round, male deers are quiet, but between late summer and fall, under the influence of testosterone, their vocal cords thicken. This is how the bellow, a deep and powerful sound, is born.
With these calls, males try to attract females and challenge their rivals. It’s an auditory and visual competition culminating in the famous ritual fights, during which the deers fight with their antlers intertwined in a dance of strength and resistance.
The deeper and lower the bellow is, the bigger is the size and the dominance of the deer. An acoustic language which not only enchants those who listen to it, but it also communicates specific information about strength and vitality to other deers.
The social life of Deers
Red deers live in complex societies. Females gather in stable family groups, often led by an old female, while males gather in small groups or live solitary. Only during mating season the two members meet, beginning an intense social activity made of challenges, calls and spectacular courtships.
The pick of bellow changes according to the latitude: between 5th and 15th of September in Sardinia, between 20th and 25th of September in the northern Apennines and between 3rd and 10th of October in the central Alps.
How to behave if you encounter a deer
Listening to a deer or encountering one of them during bellow is a unique emotion, but it has to be lived in the full respect of the animal and its habitat.
Here are some basic principles:
- Always keep the distance and don’t try to move closer.
- Don’t chase nor feed the deers: it’s dangerous and damaging for them.
- Wear clothes in natural colours.
- Avoid using flashes and powerful flashlights.
The best moments to hear the bellow are sunrise and sunset, when woods wake up or prepare themselves for the silence of the night.
Curiosity: deers can see ultraviolet light. Avoid wearing clothes washed with “optical brighteners” detergents: for them you would be extremely bright!
Where to listen to the deers’ bellow in Italy
If you want to live an authentic experience surrounded by nature, here are three unique and sustainable places where you can listen to the deers’ bellow in Italy.
1. Maira Valley (Piedmont)
In the heart of the Cottian Alps, Maira Valley is a place suspended in time. Nature reigns supreme and the silence is broken only by the bellows of deers. From the paths leading to Fremo Cuncunà until the excursion on Lake Camoscere (2650m), every step offers breathtaking landscapes and emotional encounters with the wildlife.
Where to sleep green: Sagna Rotonda, an ancient mountain village, restored in an ecological way. It is surrounded by an authentic alpine scenery, where time seems to have stopped. There you will find wonderful apartments, renovated in an ecological way, with renewable energy, organic garden and a small wellness area. Ideals for those looking for tranquillity, nature and the magic of the deers’ bellow.
2. Foreste Casentinesi (Tuscany-Emilia-Romagna)
One of the most iconic places to hear the bellow: the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, between Tuscany and Romagna. Here, in the forests of centennials beeches and firs, you can witness extraordinaries natural events. Parks organise guided night and day tours to discover closely the secrets of the red deer.
Where to sleep green: Casale Camalda Farmhouse, an ancient stone farmhouse restored in a sustainable way, surrounded by the centennial woods of the Casentino forests. The biological farmhouse cultivates quinces, service trees, elders and small fruits. The owner, official guide in the park, will accompany you in unforgettable excursions to listen to the deers’ bellow in the magical silence of the large wood.
3. Parco dei Sette Fratelli “Seven Brothers Park” (Sardinia)
In the south-eastern part of Sardinia, between the granite mountains and the woods of the Parco dei Sette Fratelli, the bellow of Sardinian deers (smaller but not less fascinating than their continental cousins) resounds in the valleys at sunset. A unique sensory experience, where sea and mountains meet under the starry sky of the island.
Where to sleep green: Lodge in Sa Corti zone, a comfortable and sustainable lodge surrounded by the Parco dei Sette Fratelli. Realized with natural materials and eco-friendly solutions, it offers independent apartments and comfortable spaces, allowing the hosts to live nature in harmony. Moreover, from the terrace and the garden of the lodge you can observe the Sardinian deers in their natural habitat. Especially during the magic period of the bellow (August-October). At the same time the hiking paths and the cycling paths for mountain bike cross the surrounding forest, offering active experiences among the maquis, the unspoilt landscapes and regenerating silences.
A recall talking to nature… and to us
The bellow of deers is more than just a sound: it’s the breath of wild nature, an invitation to slow down and reconnect to the rhythm of life. Listening to it actually means immersing yourself into a rare moment, in which nature still speaks its original language.
Discover other experiences of sustainable tourism on Ecobnb.com website and let yourself be guided by the call of the forest!
