Sparring Bucks or Bulls
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Mule Deer Bucks or Bull Elk sparring, wrestling or mock fighting. They do this as practice for real fights and to strengthen neck muscles and other muscles used in fights. At the same time it serves to establish their dominance hierarchy, so that when two bucks meet they understand the "pecking order". Much of this sparring occurs in winter after the main rut is over. If a buck wants to move up in the hierarchy he needs to defeat his opponent, either by out-sparring him or by getting into an out and out fight. Sparring is preferred since it uses less energy and is less costly and less dangerous than an actual fight. Note that my "Sparring" Collection is different from my "Deer Fighting" Collections, which show "Serious Buck Fights", which are real fights. Sparring is like playing "patty-cakes" compared to an all out serious fight.
Sparring Bucks or Bulls Stock Footage
