blame Yesmate for this one LOL
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blame Yesmate for this one LOL
Yes it at work it doesn’t matter what it is, for meat hunting depending on time of the year I will be more selective if I can be.
All of the above depending on time of year, freezer situation etc etc
Yes.
Much rather shoot a hind than a shity 8 point stag.
Yup, sure do, that's how you control numbers
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Yes and anything young and tasty.
I have always shot 90% + spikers stags in the interest of 'letting them build up', but after reading on the forum regarding the maths of controlling numbers I have changed my tune and will hunt in hind areas from now on
The evidence is out there and irrefutable, in order to have healthier animals, and better stags, we must shoot more hinds. Those that continue to dispute this are in denial.
I shoot ones made of meat
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Yes my thoughts also!!Quote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
Definitely, just not when in fawn.
Hinds and fawns
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I typically shoot the biggest one. Whatever that happens to be.
Unless hinds have started to drop fawns.
Unless it’s a young 8 point Sika showing a bit of potential.
Shoot em in fawn....maybe refrain from shooting them when they have young dependant on the teat instead.Quote:
Originally Posted by odds0und
A hind is basicly either feeding young or pregnant for the entire year.....better to shoot them pregegnant than feeding young in my opinion.
That said by February in Nz a red fawn should be 3-4 months old and capable of surviving.
I mainly shoot hinds - I seem to come across them more. That said, I fully endorse the herd management through shooting hinds ethos, so given the option would take the hind.
Shooting spikers as first choice has always confused me. If you’re worried about trophy potential, why would you shoot a young deer with no idea as to what it may grow into?🤔
Still waiting to shoot my first deer, but I'm in for the meat as trophys are not a drawcard to me
Twice this yr iv shot hinds and the 5-6month old fawns hangs around makes for a easy shot,bloody tasty too.
To do your bit for herd management we should be shooting more hinds. First on the list is a yearling hind for me, then a hind.
Yup, shoot Hinds at any time of year. Also lots of yearlings. Very few stags though
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I don’t see enough animals that I can afford to be choosy.
Yes but my first choice is fat deer.
I'll shoot hinds when I can but not between January and March when they will have fawns afoot. Otherwise if it's brown it's down.:thumbsup:
Don't get much choice in DOC bush, take the first one come across as a day hunter, from past experience it will be the one and only one to be seen for the rest of the day.
Also the first one is generally a shorter distance to lug back.
YES:)
January? Reds drop in November..what species are you hunting?Quote:
Originally Posted by Chur Bay
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Yeah they do, and have fawns at footQuote:
Originally Posted by veitnamcam
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In areas I hunt often enough to know or observe that numbers are high I shot a hind every time to try do my bit for population control. Usually i shoot them last day and shoot the one with the easiest recovery.
I've not had too much issue finding deer in the last few years so my trips would be short and boring if I just killed the first deer I saw. That's why I'm usually looking for a mature stag and work on the basis of only shooting females (better to eat and realistically when solo in the alps most of the time you cant get all the meat of a stag out anyway so less wasted with a hind) unless its a PB, a clearly mature animal, or an obvious cull (like seriously obvious not just short or missing a few points).
My view is everyone CAN do what they want but general courtesy dictates that if you have the choice and truly only care about meat why shoot a young stag that could be a trophy for someone who does care some day. Like if you leave that stag and look a bit longer chances are you will find a hind thats better for meat and population control and doesn't take away from the opportunity of the guy that does want to chase a big old stag one day. Its not to dissimilar to in life I think if there's something you can do that takes 5 extra minutes and saves someone hours then you should do it and visa versa.
Plus I never really saw the point of having 50 young heads in the rafters when you could have a few old buggers on the wall.
Also should probably say that this really only applies during the roar and for hunting open tops where opportunity's are pretty common, the guys bush stalking in the harder months that dont get the chance to see many I say take what you can.
I shoot hinds any time except when they have fawns at foot. Happy as to shoot pregnant hinds as they are pregnant 236 days a year and you know the fawn dies quickly.
Something that always makes me smile is people shooting what they think are poor quality stags and say they have taken it out of the "gene pool". What a hoot - you would need to shoot a zillion to make any difference. And mostly I suspect they are young animals.
Far better to shoot hinds so that there is competition amongst the stags so the biggest, bravest and fittest stags get to serve the hinds while the inferior ones sulk in the corner. I sulked a lot like that when I was a teenager.
I shoot about 50 deer a year. I try to shoot hinds and does if they present themselves but am guilty of shooting stags for meat. I don't (mostly) shoot stags with obvious potential. But I'm an imperfect person, and really do like killing shit so make the odd indiscretion :)
If it's brown it's down.
Don't forget "they are still making them" :)Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwijames
Completely agree especially the part about being imperfect (I mean we all are not saying you are the only imperfect one hahahha) but trying is all we can do really.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
If there's 10 hinds to one stag every shitter is going to get to breed.
As for shitters culled for the gene pool I agree a lot are young stags (my biggest cringe is scrubby 12) and thats why I dont cull unless its super obvious like deformitys or they are clearly mature shitters. The other one is culling for not having bezs which down south wouldnt leave you many deer in many places.
However I do think selective harvest of stags can have an effect (your not going to change the entire potential of the herd but you can improve it somewhat) but more so in that shooting young potential rippers before they reach maturity where they can be the dominant stag means those genes dont continue. I think realistically the best chance for making a difference is leaving stags unless old or obvious culls and killing hinds so the stags have to fight it out for females. Then maybe one day when there enough 6 plus year old stags we can actually make reasonable judgement calls on stags as by that age potential is alot more obvious.
As they said in Vietnam. Shoot everything that moves...... Once I've identified it as a deer tho
I shoot all the above , don't usually have the option to choose but if I can I will take a hind rather than a half grown velvet stag. Last weekend I shot a hind and its yearling nice looking meat.
I think the real question is will a 308 actually kill a hind? We should be told.
No & then
Flat out like a lizard drinkingQuote:
Originally Posted by Tahr
I have been known to let velvet stags walk away.....very seldom has any other deer been given that option....my hind to stag ratio would be close to 6;1 if not higher...I just dont see many stags and because I hunt for freezer,the first deer seen gets shot and carried out.
I tend to harvest 'em as I see 'em. But I dont shoot that many any more. Im lucky enough to have some good hunting on private property and not really interested in trying to cook up antler, so its usually a hind or a yearling. But if a stag steps up in front when theyre big and fat, then they get the drop. But I dont shoot any stag that has potential, theres a heap of guys that would appreciate a nice head. However, I live in an area that is renowned for a lack of bey tines, so if its short on beys, and within range, and fully recoverable, then its bang flop.
Saw a really nice stag last night, out feeding on the grass in the matagouri. Big head, lots of mass, nice long tines, classic shape, looked to be of some age. But it only had 8 of those nice long tines! Didn't put the drop on him, too much like hard work.
