Hunting enthusiasts from the Baltic countries grunted, bawled and bellowed in a battle to be named champion stag caller.

Competitors from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were scored on their ability to imitate red deer calls in different categories: a young and searching stag deer; a victorious stag after the battle; a stag bellowing during a rut; and a dominating stag standing with a herd of hinds.

There were 23 participants this year, the seventh edition of an annual contest which organizers say is gaining in popularity.

As part of the competition, the contestants had to adhere to a strict dress code which included traditional hunting attire for the festive season.

Stag calls were the only sounds breaking the silence during the competition as the participants were not allowed to communicate with the audience or talk to each other. The signal to start the performance was to raise the hat.

A panel of judges rated contestants based on blind auditions, judging only the sounds they performed.

The Latvian winner of the competition will participate in next year's Stag Calling European Championship in Poland.

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