Hart (deer) Hart (deer) Hart is an archaic word for "stag" (from Old English "heorot", "deer" – compare with modern Dutch "hert", medieval French "hart", German "Hirsch" and Swedish/Norwegian/Danish "hjort", also "deer"). Specifically, "hart" was used in medieval times to describe a red deer stag more than five years old. In medieval hunting terms, a stag in its first year was called a "calf" or "calfe", in its second a "brocket", in its third a "spayed", "spade", or "spayard", in its fourth a "staggerd" or "staggard", and in its fifth a "stag", or a "great stag". To be a "hart" was its
Scottish red deer Scottish red deer The Scottish red deer ("Cervus elaphus scoticus") is a subspecies of red deer, which is native to Great Britain. Like the red deer of Ireland, it migrated from continental Europe sometime in the Stone age. This deer is slightly smaller than other Western European red deer. In summer, the coat is lighter in colour with a distinct border to the lighter patch on the rump. The rest of the colour is dark reddish brown with a greyer face and neck. The legs are blackish brown. In winter the animal grows long hair on the neck. The brow