Brian Johnston said his ‘patience finally paid off’
Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, Money and lifestyle hub
05:30, 27 Oct 2025
The rare white creature spotted in woodland – at last
A rare white stag linked to legendary King Arthur has been spotted in woodland in the UK. The huge animal with a full set of antlers was spotted by animal lover Brian Johnston on a quest to find it.
He had been on a mission to see it again after first coming across it a year ago. A friend of his had spent five years unsuccessfully looking for it.
White deer are extremely rare and are the subject of many myths and legends. Incredibly, Mr Johnston spotted two of them together as the older stag was with a white juvenile.
It was at an undisclosed location in Devon. “The alarm went off at six, and all I could hear was the rain hammering against the windows,” he said.
The white stag spotted in woodland
“My wife said, ‘You’re not going out in this, are you’? For a moment, I thought maybe I should stay in bed.
“Well, all I can say is I’m so glad I didn’t. I’ve been searching for this guy for well over a year, and my patience finally paid off.
“I watched one stag leap into the woods, and just a few seconds later, this beauty stepped out. He walked right into the middle of the field, let out a few powerful bellows, and then disappeared back into the trees.
“I couldn’t believe my luck to see him. Truly incredible.
“They are also known as white harts and are the stuff of myths and legends dating back hundreds of years in England. My friend Will Cory has been looking for this white stag for four years or more. It’s just majestic.”
In September, a pure white fallow buck was seen beside a lake at Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld in Perthshire. White deer have held a special place in cultures for centuries.
They are linked to legends, including King Arthur, and are often said to symbolise spiritual quests and the call to adventure. The Celts believed the stag appeared when a person was breaking a taboo, while English folklore associates the white hart with Herne the Hunter.
It was also the personal emblem of King Richard II, who often had the crowned stag painted into art and jewels to symbolise his divine right to rule. The most famous example appears in the Wilton Diptych, thought to be the earliest authentic portrait of an English monarch.