The painting is based on photos taken by the artist of the Glencoe Range in West Scotland and photos of his friends wearing animal masks. The intention was to combine two opposing elements - the natural (ie the landscape) and the artificial (ie the masked figures) and try to make them work in an interesting way. There are two further element to the painting: firstly, as the title indicates, the group of figures are on a 'stag weekend' and the stag
 mask of one of them reflects this and links them in an odd way to the landscape (famed as it is for deer). Secondly the isolation of the individual in the left panel from the rest of the group hints at unrest within the party.