# Hunting > Hunting >  Stags & Bucks 2022

## Sideshow

Heres to 2022 and to kick it off on the trophy front for everyone. 

Well my best head yet. 
He tried to give me the slip as the heard he was with went right. 
I dropped back into the woods to cut them off. 
Only to find that he was not with them. 
Stalked back into the vicinity of where he had last been. 
This time I had the setting sun at my back, wind was non existent.  
Saw movement and hopped up on a little rise.  Next thing antlers and hes quarter away. 
Sticks up and got the crosshairs on him. Gave a bark and he paused in his trot. 
Squeezed off a shot.  But he was moving again as it went, so I thought himmm might have a runner.  
Reloaded and moved towards where he had been took me a bit to get across the 130 yards to where he last was. 
His big white ass was lying in the leaves. 
Then I saw his head :Thumbsup:

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## Sideshow

Anyone have any idea on a DS score? If you need measurements Ill get them. Think I might need a bigger shed :XD: 
Pretty stoked!
With rifle that I put together, roll your own ammo and free range buck! In England and not a penny changed hands for the stalking rights....ok its taken me some time to get here but Im good with it :Have A Nice Day:

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## Steelisreal

Congratulations on your best head so far! Looks like an older animal? Any idea on his age?

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## Padox

Looks in that 180 range ds

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## jono7

Nice Work  :Cool:  looks like cracker stalking country.
Cheers

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## Sideshow

Thanks guys. For the reply’s. @jono7 it’s mostly beech, oak and hazelnut in the spring it’s full of bluebells.  @Padox cheers for that.  @Steelisreal I’ve not taken the lower jaw off yet but I’ll age him on Saturday. His neck is really scared up from the rut so quite the bruiser.
I’ll let you know.

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## Sideshow

Don’t tell the wife  :O O:  :Zomg:  :Yuush:

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## Sideshow

Anyone for eyeball soup :XD:

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## Mooseman

Nice , good on you for your best buck to date, what caliber etc did you use?

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## 7mm Rem Mag

Looks tasty  :36 1 8:

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## Sideshow

7x57 @Mooseman

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## Sideshow

> Congratulations on your best head so far! Looks like an older animal? Any idea on his age?


 @Steelisreal aged at 6.5 years on the edge of 8 judging by the teeth have had two other guys on this plus the internet we all get the same cheers.

So he wasn’t going to get any better I feel.

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## Steelisreal

> @Steelisreal aged at 6.5 years on the edge of 8 judging by the teeth have had two other guys on this plus the internet we all get the same cheers.
> 
> So he wasn’t going to get any better I feel.


He's a lovely trophy, the age of the animal gives it more of a sense of distinction that any amount of size, points or high score can do. The fact you've also taken with a beautiful rifle and recorded it with some great pictures makes it just such a great experience. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

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## Sideshow

Well with luck there will be a lot more posted here cheers Steelisreal the next one on the list here is Muntjac buck and Roe when they come into season.

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## Sideshow

Little bit of warmth here. On the drive into town today saw 4 muntjac in the woods, must be starting to  move and look for new shoots.
Which means the does will start here so need to get out and see what th bucks are up to!

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## Steelisreal

> Well with luck there will be a lot more posted here cheers Steelisreal the next one on the list here is Muntjac buck and Roe when they come into season.


Any luck on the Muntjac? I've been fascinated with those since seeing them on Aston Hill in the Chilterns. Beautiful wee deer - with big teeth!

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## Padox

Got me a buck this morning

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## Phill243

> Got me a buck this morning Attachment 189778


Is that a sika fawn ? I've always wanted to find a sika fawn myself . I'm sure it would make a great pet 

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## Padox

Nope wee fallow

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## Cigar

Cute! 
I picked it for a fallow, not many sika in Tarras, and I've seen your photos his big brothers you have shot  :Thumbsup:

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## Sideshow

> Any luck on the Muntjac? I've been fascinated with those since seeing them on Aston Hill in the Chilterns. Beautiful wee deer - with big teeth!


 @Steelisreal nar bugger gave me the slip tonight have another crack on Saturday. Its like chasing hairs through the blackberrys. Very frustrating but good fun. Cold here only 6. But the shoots are starting to show so there also starting to move.

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## Sideshow



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## Sideshow

Hey just in. Raining cats and dogs out there. 
Really gutted that I had to shoot this guy. Broken back leg, looks like a TA. 
Think he would have been better with another year or two under his belt.

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## Tahr

Grandsons recent head. Rimutakas.

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## silentscope

holey shit good stag the heads in the rimutukas have improved in the years since i last hunted there!

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## bluebaiter222

There's always been good feral bloodlines in the Rimutakas that grow out to heavy heads given maturity.

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## Sideshow

Any more to add?

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## Tahr

Wairarapa

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## Tahr

A tidler from Saturday, although it actually had some age on it. Yummy meat though. Fat.

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## Mad_Fisho

An old boy in good nick taken recently on Public Land.

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## 223nut



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## Tahr

> Attachment 192717


Nice. Was he hard underneath?

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## 223nut

> Nice. Was he hard underneath?


Yep, felt it when I was dragging him around by them. Haven't had a good look yet

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## Hook_Grass

Got this guy at the end of February, he took a decent tumble after the shot and snapped a couple of tines of and his main beam. Never seen such a fat stag from kaikoura.

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## bumblefoot

Got this chunky bugger today. My best fallow buck and as fat as mud. Whanganui buck.

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## ablakebrown

central Otago last weekend

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## Shearer

Shame about the breakage.

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## nor-west

> central Otago last weekend
> Attachment 192942


If thats his broken off tops he will look nice when repaired.

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## Sideshow

Wow nice buck @bumblefoot 

Guess they those antlers can’t take the knocks as well when there fresh from stripping.

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## bumblefoot

@Sideshow Yeah there are a few chips already. I shot a buck a couple of years ago about a month after the rut and most of his back end were (rump area etc) as covered in nearly healed bruises! 

This one is as fat as mud and huge in body size. I carried him for about 200m of the 300m climb to the ridge top, but then we both had to drag him the rest of the way. When we eventually got him to the bike which luckily was at the bottom of the ridge on the the other side it took the 2 of us 4 goes to get him onto it. We reckon that with head off he must have been about 80kgs. He was a horse of a buck!

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## Billbob

> central Otago last weekend
> Attachment 192942


i hope your getting him mounted - looks an awesome stag

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## TLB

A couple of Raukumara stags from last week and my son with a Hawkes Bay private land stag.

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## Gkp

I thought I better add to this thread. 
Keep the stoke going!

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## 7mm Rem Mag

Wow thats a beauty

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## outdoorlad

Very nice @Gkp

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## Mooseman

Wow that's a beauty Gkp

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## DBD

Monday morning turned out a lot better than being at work  :Thumbsup:

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## Hook_Grass

A cheeky Monday mission for a wee marlborough scrubber and a nice 10 for my mate. Both moaning and holding hinds but not going off.

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## mawzer308

Few from this year, top fella I decided to keep in velvet with summer head skin, the rest I stripped and stained. Still a bit early for Sika, but have heard a couple of hee-haws.

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## Shearer

> Few from this year, top fella I decided to keep in velvet with summer head skin, the rest I stripped and stained. Still a bit early for Sika, but have heard a couple of hee-haws.
> 
> Attachment 193138
> Attachment 193139
> Attachment 193140
> Attachment 193141


Very nice Japs. That first one's a big boy.

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## mawzer308

> Very nice Japs. That first one's a big boy.


Yeah not too bad, I unofficially scored him 185 and the one below 174

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## Shearer

> Yeah not too bad, I unofficially scored him 185 and the one below 174


Both wonderful heads. :Thumbsup:

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## Mohawk .308

> Few from this year, top fella I decided to keep in velvet with summer head skin, the rest I stripped and stained. Still a bit early for Sika, but have heard a couple of hee-haws.
> 
> Attachment 193138
> Attachment 193139
> Attachment 193140
> Attachment 193141


Couple of rippers there, awesome  :Thumbsup:

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## A-Bolt

Rakaia stag. The 7 side is OK, the 5 side not so much.

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## Gibo

Nice stag mate!

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## Sideshow

He looks nice and heavy solid :Have A Nice Day:

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## Mooseman

Nice alright A Bolt

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## 300_BLK

Nice one I got a few weeks ago

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## tikka

That’s a wall hanger for sure :Thumbsup:

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## nor-west

Jesus I would have been shaking to much to pull the trigger. Any measurements?

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## Gibo

> Attachment 193288
> 
> Nice one I got a few weeks ago


Holy heck thats a stonker!

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## chainsaw

That's a monster .... some interesting genetics going on there

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## Woody

Amazing  buck.  Congrats.

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## Mooseman

Bit better than nice one, huge would be more fitting, well done.

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## kukuwai

Shit !! Its a moose 

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## Sideshow

Wow nice head  @300_BLK did he give you a good stalk/hunt? How many points is that? I cant get past the tops :Thumbsup:

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## Danny

Amazing heads guys. Wicked. 


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## Chunk

Wow. Thats a fantastic head. You dont see that “rose” or whatever its called on the tops of the antlers very much. A real prize. If Id shot that it would have to go on the wall.

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## Padox

Common trate in farm breed stags only occasionally seen in red stags in the wild

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## Shearer

Just to lower the bar a bit.

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## Steelisreal

> Just to lower the bar a bit. 
> Attachment 193433


Well done, looks alright to me - relatively mature animal? More importantly it has proper staining from the old boy doing what stags do when they're getting ready for shagging season! Seen far too many pictures of stags shot in velvet to be stripped and coloured, just doesn't seem like cricket IMHO. 

What does the right side look like, bit hard to tell in this picture.

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## kukuwai

Choice @Shearer 
Just out of interest was it roaring?

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## Mohawk .308

> Just to lower the bar a bit. 
> Attachment 193433


Very nice mate, I’d be more than happy with that. Congratulations  :Thumbsup:

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## Tahr

> Just to lower the bar a bit. 
> Attachment 193433


Thats a lovely classic NZ wild stag.

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## Mooseman

Yep it sure looks good to me.

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## Shearer

> Well done, looks alright to me - relatively mature animal? More importantly it has proper staining from the old boy doing what stags do when they're getting ready for shagging season! Seen far too many pictures of stags shot in velvet to be stripped and coloured, just doesn't seem like cricket IMHO. 
> 
> What does the right side look like, bit hard to tell in this picture.


Haha. The photo show his good side. He only has 4 on the right. Missing a bey and the little top.

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## Shearer

> Choice @Shearer 
> Just out of interest was it roaring?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


Yeah. Roared him in from about 400m. He was spoiling for a fight.

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## Steelisreal

> Haha. The photo show his good side. He only has 4 on the right. Missing a bey and the little top.


Well in that case it's got character! Good work roaring it in and getting it on the ground.

You could get all artsy and do a split skull mount of the right side only and get a nice knife made using the left side for the handle?

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## Shearer

Happy Jack will be doing a report sometime soon so there should be a few more photos of our stags and the trip.

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## Bos

Here's the boy again this year, last Saturday night in fact. An improvement on the 5 pointer from last year which is what he wanted to try and do. Bit of a mission to get back to the truck but thats what memories are based on.
Bloody awesome watchin a wee fella grow into a confident and ethical hunter (aka One Proud Grandad)

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## thatguy

> Here's the boy again this year, last Saturday night in fact. An improvement on the 5 pointer from last year which is what he wanted to try and do. Bit of a mission to get back to the truck but thats what memories are based on.
> Bloody awesome watchin a wee fella grow into a confident and ethical hunter (aka One Proud Grandad)
> Attachment 193597


Bloody awesome 


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## Mooseman

Nice stag well done young fella.

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## Maxx

> Yeah. Roared him in from about 400m. He was spoiling for a fight.


Even better...!!

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## Chunk

You’re a lucky man Bos . Can’t wish for more than that. Well done to the young man.

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## Sideshow

Any more post to get the rest of us out of the house? :XD:

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## Tahr



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## Strummer

Not my handiwork, but someone shot this young 11 pointer in the shoulder and then left him to rot on the river flats :-(

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## Micky Duck

or shot it and didnt follow up to see if it was hit.

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## Strummer

Wide open flats, hit hard, can't see how you'd lose him...but I guess we can give them the benefit of the doubt? Sad waste anyway.

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## 300_BLK

> or shot it and didnt follow up to see if it was hit.


Did it have a bullet wound? Are you sure it didn’t die from natural causes?

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## Strummer

Bullet wound in front shoulder, shoulder joint stuffed. Can't imagine it went far.

(Bit of context is there are a few clowns spotlighting from trucks in there.)

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## Micky Duck

waste...waste ...waste.... all that steak n mince left for the maggots n pigs....

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## Danny

Yep be an inexperienced thermaller or spot lighter. 
A big waste for sure.

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## hunter Al.7mm08

My Sister has just got her FAL so was keen to get out for her first roar hunt. As we walked up the hill in the dark we could hear this bloke roaring. Had to wait till it got light enough to see clearly. Little sis pulled of a perfect shot at 215m to drop him before he returned to cover. Not bad for a first stag.


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## 308bob

Overnighter in ruahines nice fat 10

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## Cigar

> Overnighter in ruahines nice fat 10


Solid timber on that fella!

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## Chur Bay

First Stag for my boy.  :Cool: 
Whirinaki.

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## Strummer

That stag immediately knew there was a new alpha in the forest. Tremendous haircut. Well done young fella.

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## Yesmate

that mullet is as deadly as his shooting!

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## thatguy

Mullet level: Expert

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## Micky Duck

if I was to dig around in photo albums,I could find photo of myself at similar age with mullet hairdo wearing a great coat of all things,holding my first stags antlers....
keeps the sun off the back of your neck.
tell you one thing though,when bit of hair gets between buttplate and shoulder it gives it an almighty yank!!!!

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## Sideshow

2 Trophys for the price of one :Thumbsup:

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## JoshC

Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.

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## thatguy

> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Congratulations, he looks awesome. Sounds like well earned!

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## Reloader75

Got my first solo roar stag. Pretty happy with this fella!



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## Sideshow

@JoshC bloody hell mate you dont half pull some rippers off of public land. Well done you are right to be happy with that effort!cheers for posting hope you have an enjoyable rest of roar and lead up to opening weekends!



> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.

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## Micky Duck

@JoshC that is a ripper of a stag alright....and your photo is pretty good too,cant quite see the tops on near side but the rest of it looks VERY even,sure it will score well.

I sat on a ridge last evening yaking to RUMPY on cellphone,I had a tidy 9-10 about 250 yards below me with couple of hinds,a smaller 8 about 100 yards away giving me the stink eye,he knew I was there but didnt know what story was,both roaring well. Just as got off phone I noticed a bull thar about 150 yards away too on bush edge between the two noisy stags.....for a minute I wondered if I had already died and had somehow bypasses the pearly gates....just sat and took it all in for a few minutes before,popping quietly back over ridge top out of view and wandering homeward leaving them to it.
LIFE IS GREAT.

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## chainsaw

congrats @JoshC, well earned trophy. 11km/day in that country is some undertaking.  Great to see the quality of wild gene pool is still out there.

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## Moa Hunter

> Got my first solo roar stag. Pretty happy with this fella!
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


He's a big old fella, congrats. Great pearling, I hope there isnt a lone pine tree on that face half way along and half way down ??

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## Tahr

> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.


Wow. Thats a wonderful head and an equally wonderful effort put in to secure it. And a great pic too. Well done.

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## Yesmate

> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.


That is awesome and a beautiful stag and also an excellent shot there at free hand.

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## Puddleduk

> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.


Well deserved. I've gone green with envy.
Thankfully a WARO heli didn't unceremoniously sling that one out.

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## kukuwai

That photo in itself is a trophy @JoshC !!
A memory for a lifetime 

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## TLB

A couple of Ruahine stags, both shot sub 15 metres. Certainly aren't trophies but still fun all the same.

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## Sideshow

Good on ya @TLB looks like your having fun.
Wont get much her untill July when the Roe rut starts.

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## PerazziSC3

A character shot at 8m

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## Sideshow

> A character shot at 8m 
> Attachment 194133


Wow that near side antl would make a cool head for a walking stick :Cool:

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## Micky Duck

is that a very small skinny stag or are antlers,deformed as they may be,on the large side???

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## Gkp

Shot this one at 400 yards on first light. 
First time I have needed an illuminated reticle and it paid off

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## Gkp

That's a wrap on the red roar for me.
Time for some bucks and some spearfishing up north

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## Mooseman

> That's a wrap on the red roar for me.
> Time for some bucks and some spearfishing up northAttachment 194160


Thats an impressive line up alright be good to see the line up of bucks.

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## PerazziSC3

Now off to fiordland for 3rd period

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## Sideshow

Good to see Saftey First! Hard hat there for sudden braking @PerazziSC3  :O O:  :XD:  :XD: 



> Attachment 194170
> 
> Now off to fiordland for 3rd period

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## Mohawk .308

A couple of sika stags from the last couple of days. The 7 was probably the best roaring encounter I’ve had with a stag, was an exciting time.
They’ve been roaring well over the last couple of days.

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## thatguy

> A couple of sika stags from the last couple of days. The 7 was probably the best roaring encounter Ive had with a stag, was an exciting time.
> Theyve been roaring well over the last couple of days. 
> 
> Attachment 194214
> 
> Attachment 194215


That 4 looks awesome mate

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## Mohawk .308

> That 4 looks awesome mate


He was a very small animal, which make his antlers seem a lot bigger than they are. He was coming in for a scrap though!

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## thatguy

> He was a very small animal, which make his antlers seem a lot bigger than they are. He was coming in for a scrap though!


Cool looking skin though

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## Mohawk .308

Yeah he did have a nice skin

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## Chur Bay

@Mohawk .308. 
Was there much Roaring where you were?

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## Mohawk .308

> @Mohawk .308. 
> Was there much Roaring where you were?


Yep, there starting to kick off

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## Chur Bay

:Cool:

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## Tahr



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## nor-west

A good one out of the gene pool Bruce.

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## Trout

Ugly bugger.

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## Chur Bay

That's a true character head. :Grin:

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## 308bob

> A character shot at 8m 
> Attachment 194133


Great looking bottle cap opener

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## Tahr

> A good one out of the gene pool Bruce.


He was huge and very old. His tusks were just little stumps. He gave me quite a run around before I shot him. Constantly on the move and just the odd roar.

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## oneshot

> He was huge and very old. His tusks were just little stumps. He gave me quite a run around before I shot him. Constantly on the move and just the odd roar.


I enjoy those frustrating hunts with crafty stags, keeps yah on your toes for sure.

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## Bos

Found this old fella Tuesday night. Watched a 6 and an 8 all sharing the same patch of scrub, but this guy had the girls.
Hope he made the most of it

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## TLB

A few that got to live and pass on their fantastic genetics  :ORLY:  , average quality photos.

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## hebe

Just got out of a 7 day walkabout type hunt through the middle section of the Ruahines with a couple of mates. Shot 5 stags and 2 hinds between us. The intent was to shoot a few deer and do our bit for the park while exploring some of the lesser visited country in the 1080 zone.

The first stag was the best of them, hind called him out of his wallow for my mate to shoot. 
Third one, spotted him from 3 km away on the tops holding a hind in the middle of the day. 

These deer were the fattest deer I’ve ever seen on public land anywhere, perhaps a sign that numbers are where they need to be in that area. Might write a report later but for now I’m off to go south for the second half of my roar.

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## Yesmate

First pic is tararuas animals last weekend with a mate, he got the 8 which is a real nice bush fella, the last pic is a ruahines fella from apiti area which was an awesome hunt, had my son with me and he shot a hind off a slip for his first public land long neck. then a couple of hours later as we were starting to head out up a STEEP ridge we got a moan from across the gully behind us(only roar heard for the day)so we roared back and he fired up and started going real good, there was a small slip 200 yards across that I thought he may show himself on so we found a tiny gap in the trees about 20m up from where we were and kept him roaring and sure enough he popped out just long enough to site him and I shot him as he was heading back in.Unfortunately he didn't tumble down as the slog up to him was in some real niggly bush,my boy was into it though.the walk out was very fun!with the timber and loins on deck!

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## Micky Duck

grow bigger and breed young fella....

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## Puddleduk

> Attachment 194321  grow bigger and breed young fella....


Yes, yes and yes. No more than 3yrs old and possibly a 2yr old.

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## Micky Duck

side view

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## Bos

> Attachment 194321  grow bigger and breed young fella....


Great potential right there

----------


## ethos



----------


## Tahr

> Ugly bugger.


 @Trout I might be rough and ugly, but at least Im experienced. And I drive a Ford.  :Have A Nice Day:  

He looked magnificent when he was strutting his stuff and roaring. Great big full bellied and swollen neck aged wild NZ stag. I probably wouldn't have shot him if I had seen his poorer side antler. One of the very few deer that I had a pang of sorrow and regret over when I saw him laying there dead. A true old monarch. i've kept his antlers out of respect.

----------


## Tahr

> Attachment 194381


Thats very cool. Good stag, good boy, good pic!

----------


## Tahr

> Attachment 194311
> 
> Attachment 194312
> 
> Attachment 194313
> 
> Just got out of a 7 day walkabout type hunt through the middle section of the Ruahines with a couple of mates. Shot 5 stags and 2 hinds between us. The intent was to shoot a few deer and do our bit for the park while exploring some of the lesser visited country in the 1080 zone.
> 
> The first stag was the best of them, hind called him out of his wallow for my mate to shoot. 
> ...


 @hebe Nice. Your mate has always been up for a hikoi. I took him out for one of his first hunts. A good lad who's all grown up now.

----------


## Micky Duck

> Attachment 194381


unusual 12 indeed it is....got the double tops normally seen on a 14 but one missing each side lower down...and spots on coat too.... did you or the young fella squeaze trigger on him????
lovely looking stag no matter how you look at him.

----------


## ethos

> unusual 12 indeed it is....got the double tops normally seen on a 14 but one missing each side lower down...and spots on coat too.... did you or the young fella squeaze trigger on him????
> lovely looking stag no matter how you look at him.


Cheers MD.
Executioner was me.
This is public land and ethos junior (11 y o ) in the pic walked more than 2 hours with a pack after a long drive before this guy fired up near dark as we pitched a tent.
Young fella then stalked in with me, he was shaking with excitement as we closed the gap.
Such a cool hunt, he got to see it all (except the stag before the shot), when to roar and when not to (99% not on this hunt) gaining height, using the wind and closing the deal.
Such a great learner- he was timing his movements to the stags roaring when he noticed I was doing the same. Proud dad moments eh.
Yeah stag is decent for a peripheral fiordland bush animal (I’m stoked with him as a trophy for a great hunt) and the spots are unusual, big mature bodied animal still has good fat reserves. I should be better at ageing but to me he’s mature and thinking about going back, there is a weird possible 13th point at back of antler low down near bey tine line.
He was roaring well.

----------


## hebe

> Cheers MD.
> Executioner was me.
> This is public land and ethos junior (11 y o ) in the pic walked more than 2 hours with a pack after a long drive before this guy fired up near dark as we pitched a tent.
> Young fella then stalked in with me, he was shaking with excitement as we closed the gap.
> Such a cool hunt, he got to see it all (except the stag before the shot), when to roar and when not to (99% not on this hunt) gaining height, using the wind and closing the deal.
> Such a great learner- he was timing his movements to the stags roaring when he noticed I was doing the same. Proud dad moments eh.
> Yeah stag is decent for a peripheral fiordland bush animal (I’m stoked with him as a trophy for a great hunt) and the spots are unusual, big mature bodied animal still has good fat reserves. I should be better at ageing but to me he’s mature and thinking about going back, there is a weird possible 13th point at back of antler low down near bey tine line.
> He was roaring well.


I’ve got a ten pointer from peripheral fiordland that is an absolute spitter for that stag. Cool to see its a genetic thing rather than fluke.

----------


## Stag

> Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe its fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but Ill take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say hes probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag Ive seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for teadelicious.


Stag of the year in my opinion, given location and representative head. Absolute stunner, well done @JoshC

----------


## Mohawk .308

Got this guy yesterday evening, was roaring well

----------


## Snowgrass

Got this one right up under me with a bit of roaring 10 days ago. Too young so left him on the hoof. Hopefully hes still around in time. Another more mature 8 in the background. Only one hind with the two stags. 

Was in the Bluies over the weekend. Bloody dry in there. Only heard one croak right on dark on Sunday which would be typical. Got onto a buck 15m away with good brows and solid body but the tops were still too small but coming along. Still too young so left him to it.

----------


## Snowgrass

Resized photo quality pretty average.

----------


## craigc

Been hitting the hills hard lately and seen plenty of animals and heard heaps roaring, probably my best roar to date. On the weekend I got myself between two roaring stags and managed to get quite a bit of footage of this guy in and around a wallow before the 7mmRM had its way. An older boy that was probably past his best. I like the character of the head, not a monster, quite heavy and a great reminder of the 2022 roar.

----------


## mawzer308

Has been a cracker roar so far chasing the japs, they have been going nuts. New PB stag for me, roared up and shot at 4m. Doesn't get anymore exciting than that.

----------


## Mohawk .308

> Has been a cracker roar so far chasing the japs, they have been going nuts. New PB stag for me, roared up and shot at 4m. Doesn't get anymore exciting than that.
> 
> Attachment 194653


Awesome, some serious brows there  :Thumbsup:

----------


## hebe

Second half of my roar, went down to Southland for a few days in some old spots of mine.. and secured the stag of my lifetime thus far.

----------


## nor-west

> Has been a cracker roar so far chasing the japs, they have been going nuts. New PB stag for me, roared up and shot at 4m. Doesn't get anymore exciting than that.
> 
> Attachment 194653


Stunner!

----------


## nor-west

> Second half of my roar, went down to Southland for a few days in some old spots of mine.. and secured the stag of my lifetime thus far. 
> 
> Attachment 194654


Lovely Stag, congratulations

----------


## outdoorlad

We went way down South this year to try a couple of new places, first trip was fantastic, great weather and plenty of animals seen. Second trip was cold & windy but still had a good time.

----------


## Micky Duck

beautiful head...now question for you knowledgeable folks.....that will score X amount as a fourteen...now if the say inner two top tines werent there...it would score as a twelve obviously BUT would the shorter measurement doubled be more than the 2x the 2 short tines????
eg would the top 6th tine be measurement of...8-9" giving 16-18 points VS 1 1/2" X2=3   AND 2X2"=4 plus the 3 total for top    16 VS 7
or does the top score as a fourteen give the 8-9" to one tine and the other one start/end measurement off it so would be 1 1/2-2"???
the douglas score question on other thread has my mind working it out...as bugger all info online about how to do the actual measurements.

----------


## Tahr

I took a friend out for a hunt and he got a nice little representative Fallow.

----------


## Gkp

1
A quick look this morning to find this very even 12. 
Shot at 330 yards

----------


## chainsaw

> Has been a cracker roar so far chasing the japs, they have been going nuts. New PB stag for me, roared up and shot at 4m. Doesn't get anymore exciting than that.
> 
> Attachment 194653


Congrats, very nice Sika

----------


## ando2506

Best roar to date. Bagged a couple of beauties.  12pt was a real old boy , no teeth left & starting to go back.

----------


## Mooseman

Very nice animals guys looks as if the roar has been good for you.

----------


## chainsaw

Couple of real thumpers, well done.

----------


## A-Bolt

Normally go to Fiordland for the roar but this year headed to East Cape for a change.  Raukumara stags, L to R: my 8, shot at about 30m in thick bush after I got between two stags roaring, made the decision based on the tops and size thinking maybe a 10, but no, my bad. My sons "mini 11"" a nice even head but unusually small, and my 12 shot at 10m after taking 30 minutes coaxing him out of the thick scrub he was roaring in.

----------


## kiwigreen

Solid 11 the other week. Chased a spiker off 10m in front and pretty much ran into me. A shoulder shot sent him running, while I was waiting for him to die he gets up again so I put another 2 into him then he gets up again and the final shot just finished him! Theyre bloody hard to put down in the roar sometimes. Not the first or last time this will happen!

Unofficial score of 262, not bad for being scored as a 10. Bummer the 17" back tine couldn't be scored.

----------


## Lucky

> Has been a cracker roar so far chasing the japs, they have been going nuts. New PB stag for me, roared up and shot at 4m. Doesn't get anymore exciting than that.
> 
> Attachment 194653


absolute cracker , incredible brows and a heavy head as well , have to be close to 200DS that one surely

----------


## Taff

Just got back from tussock saddle bivvy in the Kawekas, a few calling,

----------


## robhughes-games

Got this guy Monday at midday after listening to him go all night and move a 8poiny off the hinds he was with

----------


## mawzer308

> absolute cracker , incredible brows and a heavy head as well , have to be close to 200DS that one surely


Not quite mate 180's, although I did see one that would go close to that and of course I buggerd that one up!

----------


## Tahr

Still the odd roar last night.

----------


## MatiriHunter

Shot this boy last sunday, any ideas on his age? He's not massive for where I hunt but he's the biggest I've seen since the bucks were in velvet.
Cheers Jasper

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## Sideshow

Around 4.5 years I’d say.

----------


## TLB

A couple more Raukumara stags....

----------


## Padox

Thought it was about time I put some pics up from our croak action this year

----------


## JoshC

Popped up to the N.I in the weekend, drove into the Kaimanawas, and found some sika. Shot this stag, he snuck in for a look 8 minutes after letting out a single call, neck shot at less than 10 metres. Boned out over 35kg of meat off him and skinned him out. Saw a couple other stags and a few hinds but let them walk. Good times. Nice short trip, too many people up there, heard over 20 shots over 3 days hunting!




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## Phill243

> Popped up to the N.I in the weekend, drove into the Kaimanawas, and found some sika. Shot this stag, he snuck in for a look 8 minutes after letting out a single call, neck shot at less than 10 metres. Boned out over 35kg of meat off him and skinned him out. Saw a couple other stags and a few hinds but let them walk. Good times. Nice short trip, too many people up there, heard over 20 shots over 3 days hunting!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not many people and 20 shots haha that's either too many shots or too many people for me haha . I heard 3 shots in the kawekas and thought there were too many people and they were all from same person haha . Good effort though nice stag and some good meat there . 

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## Hunteast

MatiriHunter - if you wish an exact age to your stag, take the one of the lower jaws to your local NZDA branch in your area. The back tooth is cut, polished and the rings counted - down to the month.

----------


## Chur Bay

> Popped up to the N.I in the weekend, drove into the Kaimanawas, and found some sika. Shot this stag, he snuck in for a look 8 minutes after letting out a single call, neck shot at less than 10 metres. Boned out over 35kg of meat off him and skinned him out. Saw a couple other stags and a few hinds but let them walk. Good times. Nice short trip, too many people up there, heard over 20 shots over 3 days hunting!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


35 kgs of meat is a good size stag for a Sika. Were you in Clements? Much Roaring? I'm heading in for a look tomorrow.

----------


## JoshC

> 35 kgs of meat is a good size stag for a Sika. Were you in Clements? Much Roaring? I'm heading in for a look tomorrow.


He was a decent sized stag, took everything off him though. Yes, some territory calls during the day. Mainly roaring thru the night. Didnt have any reply to roars but stags we saw snuck in for a look.


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## JessicaChen

Man so many amazing heads in the thread. Might sneak out for a cheeky overnighter sunday monday to see if anything is going in the Catlins. Havent got a mature stag yet.

----------


## 7mmwsm

> Shot this boy last sunday, any ideas on his age? He's not massive for where I hunt but he's the biggest I've seen since the bucks were in velvet.
> Cheers JasperAttachment 195388Attachment 195389Attachment 195390
> 
> Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk


https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....ght=deer+aging
I think this is the right link

----------


## Sideshow

Trying for a last fallow buck today before the season ends on the 1st no luck but tipped d this little guy over. 
First for the season. Also saw a really good muntjac buck but could not get a safe shot……next time eh :Thumbsup:  now for some NZ ducks :Zomg:

----------


## 7.62

After passing up a young 4 pointer and then having a couple of other stags give us the slip, my hunting mate roared in this ancient 6 pointer for me (more of a 5 really but technically still a 6) on ANZAC day. As you can see his head was definitely going backwards but I was still stoked to get a mature animal, good times!

----------


## Sideshow

Hey @Dusty Fog not sure what your question is? Bucks have small antlers, which have three points each when fully grown. Antlers are described as pearled or bearded when they are heavily textured with lots of nodules. Dose this answer it?

----------


## Mr300WSM

Here’s my effort one day I’ll run into a big one. But this is going to taste great.

----------


## mawzer308

Couple more from the roar, manged these 2 within about 5mins of each other.

----------


## jono7

Bloody nice, well done  :Cool:

----------


## Billbob

> Thought it was about time I put some pics up from our croak action this yearAttachment 195656Attachment 195657Attachment 195658Attachment 195660Attachment 195661


some fantastic animals there

----------


## Danny

Jees these Sika are something else guys, well done. 


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## Yesmate

@pongo where are you?your heads last year ruled the thread.

----------


## stinky_fisho

Roar was super early in my area, almost by a month. Missed out on one due to helicopter flying overhead. Came back a fortnight later and took this scrubby bush fallow, plenty of animals around. Good to see them in good nick.

----------


## JessicaChen

I did end up going for a quick cheeky Catlins hunt and look at this wall hanger! Wow big trophy boy!
Sarcasm aside, I did take the head home, going to hang him on the wall and mark him as my first red.  :Have A Nice Day:  
Did not hear any roars coastal area there, unless that weird 'cow mooing' I heard in the distance was actually a roar. 

One day I will get a proper head in the bush, im not sneaky enough for the wise old stags. But for now I am happy with a ton of meat and a funny wall hanger.

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## kukuwai

Hey Jessica. You only get your first one once !! Of course its a wall hanger, a keeper for sure !! 

There will be more and bigger ones too but you will never get that first one again 

Good on you for keeping it, well done 

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## Micky Duck

Jess...you have come a loooong way from your first posts..... good on you for taking out your spikers head...... the wee 6 I shot many years ago has been lost forever as stayed behind on farm that changed hands.....but I still have photos....
enjoy the venison...

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## charliehorse

> @pongo where are you?your heads last year ruled the thread.


 @Pongo12

----------


## 7mmwsm

Took this guy out of the gene pool on Saturday. Interesting seeing the state of his ball joint.

----------


## charliehorse

Arthritis or old break struggling to see on my phone.

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## madmaori

Nice Fallow buck that myself and 2 of my young fellas managed to tip over last weekend.
I have let a whole heap of young or smaller stags and bucks walk over the last year or 2 hoping that I would bump into one like this and I was finally rewarded!
Not a perfect head but a bloody nice one all the same

----------


## Tahr

Thats got a lot of character Brad.

----------


## madmaori

Thanks Bruce , I thought so as well.

Bloody awesome to have the kids there to see it all unfold.

Hope all is well and those tyres are still going strong!

----------


## 7mmwsm

> Arthritis or old break struggling to see on my phone.


Old break by the looks. Lots of scar tissue.

----------


## Nick-D

Just out from 5 nights in the Bush.

Few stags going still but not well enough to get onto them that way.

All animals were shot on the stalk, seemed to be quite a few decent animals around this year. Saw 3 8 pointers over 4 days hunting and took the fella on the right, nice representative 8 pointer and the best I've seen in the area in 3 years of hunting there. 

Mate shot the one in the middle, only his second ever sika (first sika a spiker shot beginning of the trip.) huge bodied animal, and the thickest main beams I've ever seen on a sika. Impressive old beast he was.
 @Rusky shot the fella on the left. Bloody good few days. 

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## Mohawk .308

> Just out from 5 nights in the Bush.
> 
> Few stags going still but not well enough to get onto them that way.
> 
> All animals were shot on the stalk, seemed to be quite a few decent animals around this year. Saw 3 8 pointers over 4 days hunting and took the fella on the right, nice representative 8 pointer and the best I've seen in the area in 3 years of hunting there. 
> 
> Mate shot the one in the middle, only his second ever sika (first sika a spiker shot beginning of the trip.) huge bodied animal, and the thickest main beams I've ever seen on a sika. Impressive old beast he was.
>  @Rusky shot the fella on the left. Bloody good few days. 
> 
> Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk


Couple of nice ones there mate  :Thumbsup:

----------


## Mooseman

Bloody good heads alright well done

----------


## LMcNab

My efforts for April, No world beaters but the big Red off a private forestry is a PB for me, and the smaller Red was my first ever deer off public land. Despite its small size, its actually pretty representative of the block it came out of. Way too many deer there and I suspect nutrition is limiting. 
The Fallow is my second buck ever, and my first for 15 years. Shot on the back of farmland. All in all Im pretty pleased.





Im also very pleased with how they hang on standard hardware store coat hooks!

----------


## Dicko

McNabb, Bleach the skulls a bit and they will look even better. 


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## Danny

Well done guys and girls and everyone is safe and sound. 
This is the only photo of one of two scrubby stags for me.

----------


## Dicko

Have taken a few fallow this rut. Here is one from the Liverpool plains ranges.


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## hotsoup

228DS, Greenstone

----------


## Gibo

Cracker mate, well done!

----------


## JoshC

> 228DS, Greenstone
> Attachment 196716


Wow. Thats an earned fallow buck trophy 


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## chainsaw

Ripper buck from one of the classic herds. Well done

----------


## hotsoup

Cheers! He'll be mounted by Mark Walker, I'll update once finished :Thumbsup:

----------


## Gkp

Well done @hotsoup 
That's about as good as it gets for the greenstone

----------


## Nick.m

Took the mrs for an overnight trip.. 
She said to me, "I just want to see a Sika stag, I replied its not that easy Bush stalking, her response was well if you see one then shoot it and il get to see it on the ground." How good  :Thumbsup:  only 200m from camp we shoot this funky stag.



Then following week smacked a couple more

----------


## 300wsm for life

Nicely done!

----------


## hotsoup

Awesome stags too!

----------


## outdoorlad

@hotsoup very nice greenstone buck, which block if it’s not a secret? I saw one like that a few years ago in there for about 5 sec lol

----------


## 7mmwsm

> Attachment 196265Attachment 196266
> Took this guy out of the gene pool on Saturday. Interesting seeing the state of his ball joint.



Ball and socket appear to have been smashed at some stage. Has mended but ball has made a new socket further back.

----------


## kiwi-adam

Spent Easter weekend over in the Gisborne region chasing stags with a mate.
Super stoked to have popped my cherry and landed this one!


Super long range shot (30m) with the Browning Hells Canyon Long Range in 6.5 PRC and right in the boiler room with a Heart/Lungs shot. Bloody lucky considering he was chasing his hinds right past me at full steam!

----------


## thatguy

> Spent Easter weekend over in the Gisborne region chasing stags with a mate.
> Super stoked to have popped my cherry and landed this one!
> Attachment 196805


Congrats on the stag! Couldnt help but notice you look like Daron Malakian 


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## Padox

Stags and bucks how about a bullnot a huge bull but my 1st winter bull

----------


## yeah_na_missed

> Couldn’t help but notice you look like Daron Malakian


Wake up!

----------


## Dingo

As soon as this next front passes through I'll be out after one as well. From what I saw earlier in week, majority of the animals were really high still. You find the same?

----------


## Padox

Very high everything we saw was up in the top catchments

----------


## Billbob

I was backblocks of tekapo on Monday and only saw thar on the tops

----------


## Dingo

Lets hope this weather coming through might push them down abit. Make it slightly easier for me!

----------


## Mr300WSM

> Lets hope this weather coming through might push them down abit. Make it slightly easier for me!


Were there a few animals around Im heading down in a couple of weeks
Oops wrong post

----------


## Mr300WSM

> I was backblocks of tekapo on Monday and only saw thar on the tops


Was there a few animals around heading down there in 2 weeks

----------


## Dingo

> Was there a few animals around heading down there in 2 weeks


What creek you heading up? Have hunted a fair chunk of it and might be able to give you some advice?

----------


## Billbob

> Was there a few animals around heading down there in 2 weeks


Saw 4 mobs of Thar and a couple of singles, all from 800m+ away on the tops. Did a day trip with the inlaws to show them some real county so i wasnt hunting  :Sad:

----------


## Allgood

Doing free pest control on a farm just south of Wellsford. Guy has only owned the place for a couple of years and leans towards the 'green' side. Told me to shoot anything not native.......including deer.
Took along the 7mm08, just in case. Got the bottom buck just on dusk with the 7mm08......the second buck was shot by my buddy with his 17hmr as it ran towards the bush. Both heads have 26pts......

'One mans Pest is another mans Prize'  I guess....

----------


## thatguy

> Attachment 197700
> 
> Doing free pest control on a farm just south of Wellsford. Guy has only owned the place for a couple of years and leans towards the 'green' side. Told me to shoot anything not native.......including deer.
> Took along the 7mm08, just in case. Got the bottom buck just on dusk with the 7mm08......the second buck was shot by my buddy with his 17hmr as it ran towards the bush. Both heads have 26pts......
> 
> 'One mans Pest is another mans Prize'  I guess....


Crazy! Lucky man you are


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## Shearer

Where did he hit it with the 17HMR?

----------


## Allgood

> Where did he hit it with the 17HMR?


2 in the head,1 in the neck. 1st shot rocked it and it slowed to a stagger/trot, next 2 in quick succession dropped it.
He shot a red stag a while ago and dropped it on the spot with one shot to the brain box at 80m. That guy can really shoot!
That makes 7 deer ( 2 reds,5 fallow) down to the 17hmr in 4 months between us.... (20gr soft points)

----------


## charliehorse

> 2 in the head,1 in the neck. 1st shot rocked it and it slowed to a stagger/trot, next 2 in quick succession dropped it.
> He shot a red stag a while ago and dropped it on the spot with one shot to the brain box at 80m. That guy can really shoot!
> That makes 7 deer ( 2 reds,5 fallow) down to the 17hmr in 4 months between us.... (20gr soft points)


That's good going, have you lost any?

----------


## Allgood

> That's good going, have you lost any?


Nope. Its not a caliber  for marginal shots on deer so the conditions have to be perfect. Ie a solid rest, within 80m, a clear shot at the head/top of the neck side on etc. Any doubt and the shot isnt taken. We use 17gr varmint rounds for rabbits etc but always have a magazine of 20gr sp's in a pocket for anything bigger. They will penetrate a deers skull easily from the side. Did a post mortem on one of the reds a while back.....here are a couple of pics of what I found......

entry point


brain damage

----------


## charliehorse

Nice work, very thorough.  Full meat recovery

----------


## Pongo12

> @Pongo12


Sorry, been a bit busy and haven't posted for a long time. Didn't spend as much time chasing stags in the native this year as I normally do, but managed to nail a couple with my boy. Couple cull jobs on some sika and what not in between times. Cheers

----------


## Mohawk .308

Holy shit, you’ve been busy alright, Epic!

----------


## Gkp

A real fun stalk onto 150 yards

----------


## charliehorse

Nicely done @Pongo12

----------


## Mooseman

You had some fun with your young fella this roar, that 9 point sika is a nice looking animal.

----------


## hunt tia



----------


## hunt tia

half decent jap from last roar

----------


## Sideshow

Missed a good one last weekend will be out again this weekend there starting to Croak here :Cool:

----------


## Sideshow

This from a few weeks back.

----------


## 57jl

do those critters bite they look like vampires

----------


## Sideshow

Yeah they will open up a dog if bailed. You heard of drop bears :O O:  drop deers……ya need a zombie gun for these critters :XD:

----------


## Moa Hunter

> Yeah they will open up a dog if bailed. You heard of drop bears drop deers……ya need a zombie gun for these critters


How do they use those canine teeth, do they bite or somehow slash ??

----------


## Sideshow

Not sure haven’t been that close to see but have heard of plenty of beaters dogs getting ripped when they bail one on driven bird days.
I’m talking bird dogs. Here’s an article.
https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/gundogs...ck-dogs-129799

----------


## Black Rabbit

> This from a few weeks back. 
> Attachment 208113


Is this vampire / water deer?

----------


## Sideshow

No Muntjac..although the water deer also have long teeth.

----------


## Sideshow

Tonight’s effort. 
Man I now smell like a goat :XD:

----------


## Sideshow

Doing a euro mount today.
Old bugger had no back teeth. Well the back two molars where all but gone.
Still in good nick though. I thought he was around five but I now put him at about eight.

----------


## hunt tia

brothers 8 point jap from kaimanawas 2022 roar around 175ds(left), other 8pt jap he shot when he was 8 years old hunting with his old man. and the Redskin from southland big brute of a stag.

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## Sideshow

> always wanted to hunt in the upper greenstone One of my mates got the lower greenstone and was a member of the party so we went and saw plenty of fallow very few reds and a few chamois got 1 fallow buck I shot it up on the flats quite surprised to see him out in the open. We also shot 4 fallow does and 3 yearlings also a nice surprise to shot 2 red hinds as well so quite the success. The trip was in September. fallow buck was 231ds best fallow to date.


You have a pic @Brindog

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## NRT

> wish I did sideshow but my mates camera which we take the pictures from he assed over badly and stove the fucking thing right into the water  we  a made river crossing to get over to a fallow buck that we wanted to shoot but buggered off so that wasn't happening. never got the photos back and camera's fucked. I'm not too sure what camera but I think it is a Panasonic HC-x2000 professional cam recorder 4k. cost him $3,595 he  was quite pissed off when it broke but well what can you do sorry If I had photos I would be putting all of them up I actually counted got 320 photos but would just put the fallow buck and a few landscapes to show what the country is like. cheers sideshow. 
> 
> oh what part of the UK do you live in England and what do you hunt and is it difficult to get a firearms license and permit or game license not sure of what you do to be able to hunt over there.


No phone photos ,

Sent from my Nokia X20 using Tapatalk

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## hotsoup

Where's the buck now? Photos, need photos

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## Sideshow

> oh what part of the UK do you live in England and what do you hunt and is it difficult to get a firearms license and permit or game license not sure of what you do to be able to hunt over there.


 @Brindog Berkshire, Roe Fallow and Muntjac. At the moment it’s Roe hinds, Fallow buck & Does in season and Muntjac all yeah round. Coming up to Christmas and I’ve a few orders for Muntjac. Little fallas are quite tasty  :Thumbsup:

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## norsk

Decent Reindyr head from Røhldal this year.

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## keneff

> Dont tell the wife 
> Attachment 187993


The teatowel impresses me! :Thumbsup:

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## silentscope

thats a nice reindeer norsk, that species is definitely on my bucket list although its unlikely i will ever get to see then for real.

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## Moa Hunter

> Decent Reindyr head from Røhldal this year.


I got one off the roof last year, Dec 24th got impaled on the weather vane. Blood and venison all over the roof. Head wasn't as good as yours though, but I had a shorter carry

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## Barry the hunter

> I got one off the roof last year, Dec 24th got impaled on the weather vane. Blood and venison all over the roof. Head wasn't as good as yours though, but I had a shorter carry


bet ya did not report ya just got Prancer

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## Rees

> Attachment 208529Attachment 208530
> Tonights effort. 
> Man I now smell like a goat


thats poor performance on fallow deer to seperate.

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## Rees

> Heres my effort one day Ill run into a big one. But this is going to taste great.
> Attachment 195924


Ironic,
shoots little ones , cant wait to shoot big ones. LOL   onya

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## Micky Duck

> thats poor performance on fallow deer to seperate.


dissagree..the deer died=it did its job LOL

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## Micky Duck

> Ironic,
> shoots little ones , cant wait to shoot big ones. LOL   onya


No irony really...most of us rooted the odd fat/ugly chick in our younger years...... some more than others.
a lot of folks will never see a decent fallow buck reguardless of if they shoot does or smaller bucks or not.
if the poster shoots hundreds of small bucks...yip thats daft,but not one or two for freezer isnt....

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## Moa Hunter

> No irony really...most of us rooted the odd fat/ugly chick in our younger years...... some more than others.
> a lot of folks will never see a decent fallow buck reguardless of if they shoot does or smaller bucks or not.
> if the poster shoots hundreds of small bucks...yip thats daft,but not one or two for freezer isnt....


So what you are saying is that having sex with a girl scoring below 6 means that one has offended the gods, and will never shoot a big Fallow ??

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## Sideshow

> thats poor performance on fallow deer to seperate.


Not really  @Rees went though an inch breech branch in through the right hand side low quartering clipped both lungs and settled up under the skin
on the left side just forward of the front leg. (My left and right is me standing at the animals nose) branch was dead due to lose of bark :Wink: 
The round did not looked to have tumbled as most of the lead was also in and around the copper. So still happy with the how it expanded. Just need to not hit branches. Cant be helped when in the thick stuff.

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## Micky Duck

> So what you are saying is that having sex with a girl scoring below 6 means that one has offended the gods, and will never shoot a big Fallow ??


first off there is only one God....

but no,what I meant is many folks would never shoot a fallow buck AT ALL if they hadnt shot a little fella/fellow or two..... the quest for a really good large mature buck/stag with huge antlers isnt the be all and end all for many hunters..
as to what I put in first line.....most folks I know didnt wait in painful abstinence for "the one" to come along.... waited for the beauty queen to say yes and held out forever hopefully waiting for her.... sometimes a fella just takes whats on offer....

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## Bushline

> No irony really...most of us rooted the odd fat/ugly chick in our younger years...... some more than others.
> a lot of folks will never see a decent fallow buck reguardless of if they shoot does or smaller bucks or not.
> if the poster shoots hundreds of small bucks...yip thats daft,but not one or two for freezer isnt....


Easier to find an attractive women than a big stag, but youll get yourself in trouble using 10x42s in the Main Street  :Thumbsup:

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## 7mmwsm

> Easier to find an attractive women than a big stag, but you’ll get yourself in trouble using 10x42’s in the Main Street


But if you use thermal gear you can eliminate the ones with less "trophy potential" from a distance. Saves a lot of leg work.

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## Sideshow

Boxing day stew sorted

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## Moa Hunter

> Boxing day stew sorted Attachment 211203


Very pretty country in all your photos with those deciduous tree lines / woods. Do Fallow eat the acorns and Beech nuts ? The ones you shoot always look fat

PS that scungy sling detracts from your beautiful rifle stock - Nigelloh

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## Tahr

My Fallow head from last year drying at the Taxidermist. Will get it in a couple of weeks. DS242

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## Sideshow

> Very pretty country in all your photos with those deciduous tree lines / woods. Do Fallow eat the acorns and Beech nuts ? The ones you shoot always look fat
> 
> PS that scungy sling detracts from your beautiful rifle stock - Nigelloh


Yeah they eat a few. But to many acorns can poison them. 
Numbers are high. Still need to knock quite a few over. Just starting to see regrowth in the understory. 
But fat they are heres a pricket. 
Note how all the growth goes into there body and not antlers here. 

Fairly common for this area. 
As for the sling. Its the only one that doesnt slip of my shoulder. Which was a right pain.

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## Padox

C over these ways a spiker with that sort of length would have the potential to grow into something big

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## Trout

Fat little fallows there.tasty i bet.

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## Moa Hunter

> Yeah they eat a few. But to many acorns can poison them. 
> Numbers are high. Still need to knock quite a few over. Just starting to see regrowth in the understory. 
> But fat they are here’s a pricket. Attachment 211302
> Note how all the growth goes into there body and not antlers here. 
> Attachment 211303
> Fairly common for this area. 
> As for the sling. It’s the only one that doesn’t slip of my shoulder. Which was a right pain.


Shit he is a fat bastard, fat as a seal. Here is a link to the slings: https://www.niggeloh.de/en/rifle-slings.html
I have four of the standard type slings. The 'Loden' would look good on your CF2, but never having had one I cant say if it has the same stretch and anti bounce shock absorbing that makes the standard one so good. I put the forward end of the sling on the barrel 'Safari Style' which lowers the centre of gravity, brings the gun closer and makes a heavy rifle like a CF2 light

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## outdoorlad

> My Fallow head from last year drying at the Taxidermist. Will get it in a couple of weeks. DS242
> 
> Attachment 211206


 @Tahr that’s a beauty

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## Sideshow

> do those critters bite they look like vampires


Hey back on page 18 you asked if they bite. @57jl 
 Mates dog tonight. 
Young pup. Ripped up by a buck today. The old boy found the doe hart shot ran 30 yards but the young falla found the buck. In some brambles.

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## 57jl

> Hey back on page 18 you asked if they bite. @57jl 
> Attachment 212046Attachment 212047 Mates dog tonight. 
> Young pup. Ripped up by a buck today. The old boy found the doe hart shot ran 30 yards but the young falla found the buck. In some brambles.


sh**t looks like they bite alright vet will be loving you

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## 57jl

> Hey back on page 18 you asked if they bite. @57jl 
> Attachment 212046Attachment 212047 Mates dog tonight. 
> Young pup. Ripped up by a buck today. The old boy found the doe hart shot ran 30 yards but the young falla found the buck. In some brambles.


sh**t looks like they bite alright vet will be loving you

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## Maxyboy

This years roar went well for me, Tararua doc land stag.

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## MSL

> This years roar went well for me, Tararua doc land stag.Attachment 212104


Went very well Id say


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## Mooseman

That's a real cracker love the shape well done.

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## Billbob

> This years roar went well for me, Tararua doc land stag.Attachment 212104


I hope that is going on the wall?

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## Maxyboy

Yes absolutely! Hopefully getting it back in the near future from the taxidermist!

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## Micky Duck

> Hey back on page 18 you asked if they bite. @57jl 
> Attachment 212046Attachment 212047 Mates dog tonight. 
> Young pup. Ripped up by a buck today. The old boy found the doe hart shot ran 30 yards but the young falla found the buck. In some brambles.


hope dog is OK long term....looks like a fine specimen of an animal....might just make it a trifle cautious in future which could be  a good thing.

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## Trout

Thats one buitifull stag there Maxyboy,its gota go on the wall.

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## Hurricane

> sh**t looks like they bite alright vet will be loving you


I had the pleasure of stalking and shooting large numbers of muntjac in Suffolk and Norfolk. They are prolific and great fun to stalk. There is no season for them in UK and they can be called all year round. I shot 5 in an outing four separate times. They are easy to carry, great to eat, and really interesting all round. 

As noted above, the bucks have large pointed canines, the back of which is as sharp as a knife, which they stab and pull with and can cause serious damage to the stalker or dogs. My now departed lab, Sam was a machine on deer but I wouldnt let him near a buck unless certain it was dead. I have spiked myself dragging them more than once. Older bucks generally have considerable damage and often torn ears. 

Gee, I miss them and wish we had them in NZ, but they only became wild in the 1950s in England.

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## Moa Hunter

Prospects are good for trophies in Canterbury this year, all the mature stags we have seen have much heavier than normal looking velvet heads

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## Tahr

Ive been watching some.

The Fallow bucks have been very shy. Haven't seen a good one yet but I know they are around. Plenty of yearlings around.

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## Sideshow

Was watching a Herded of 250 yesterday 1 very nice buck in the middle……..on the neighbors side lol :X X:  how’s that song go? “Walk this way”!!! :XD:

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## Sideshow

A round up of 2022 year’s haul good luck for 23

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## Mooseman

That's a nice collection for the year, hopefully 2023 is as good.

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## Barry the hunter

> I had the pleasure of stalking and shooting large numbers of muntjac in Suffolk and Norfolk. They are prolific and great fun to stalk. There is no season for them in UK and they can be called all year round. I shot 5 in an outing four separate times. They are easy to carry, great to eat, and really interesting all round. 
> 
> As noted above, the bucks have large pointed canines, the back of which is as sharp as a knife, which they stab and pull with and can cause serious damage to the stalker or dogs. My now departed lab, Sam was a machine on deer but I wouldn’t let him near a buck unless certain it was dead. I have spiked myself dragging them more than once. Older bucks generally have considerable damage and often torn ears. 
> 
> Gee, I miss them and wish we had them in NZ, but they only became wild in the 1950s in England.


 I heard they are very tricky little buggers to skin  is that right

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## Sideshow

Yeah you want to do em while there warm.

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## Flyblown

Couple of fat as reds shot this past week, now resident in my freezer.

The best condition animals Ive ever shot at this time of year - the wet and warm spring / early summer has certainly been kind to the stags as they feed up ahead of the rut. 





Kinda wish the wife had taken some photos without the grinning muppet but alas not.

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