Early velvet?

So, I pinned this guy yesterday just shy if dusk, 410m shot, didn't realize he was a stag until we got up to him.

He is the biggest red I have seen personally, what do you think he would if been? I'm 6ft 2, and 120kg btw.

Any thoughts on why he's already in velvet along with a few others with him, yet other deer on the other side of the valley where still in hard antler?

Good looking animal in my books.

Older deer drop antlers early and grow velvet early

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He still had most his back teeth, aswell as deep coronets. I thought this was an indication of age. I guess around 4years old ?

I would say 6 or 7 plus

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Cool, that would explain the size. He's a monster in my books. Would you expect his antlers to of grown into a good 10 or 12 ?

In reference to what I read in “Stalking the seasons round”, animals in best condition will drop antlers first.
Nice stag

Thanks mate. Good to know he was with 3 or 4 others, that were all the same size as him. I'll go back and try to find one or two of them during the roar!

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

Cool, that would explain the size. He's a monster in my books. Would you expect his antlers to of grown into a good 10 or 12 ?

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Looks like he had the bottom 3...hard to tell

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Originally Posted by Larskramer

Cool, that would explain the size. He's a monster in my books. Would you expect his antlers to of grown into a good 10 or 12 ?

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He was without doubt going to be a 14point plus stag of a lifetime, and you’ve fucked it, haha


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Originally Posted by MSL

He was without doubt going to be a 14point plus stag of a lifetime, and you’ve fucked it, haha


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Haha... typical , my luck. Lol it's ok, one of the other 3 in the group was bigger :)

Pedicles still look fairly high in that picture.
I don't think he was 6-7y maybe 4-5y.

As above tho older animals and animals in good condition drop and grow earlier than young/ poor condition animals

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Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

One of my daughters is working on a place in the central North island and one of their stags cast his buttons on the tenth of June. Quite a few in July.
Older well fed stags though.

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Pretty common occurrence on deer farms..


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Originally Posted by Larskramer

Cool, that would explain the size. He's a monster in my books. Would you expect his antlers to of grown into a good 10 or 12 ?

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not any more they wont......

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Originally Posted by MSL

He was without doubt going to be a 14point plus stag of a lifetime, and you’ve fucked it, haha


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It's the kiwi way. People just can't understand stand the idea if shoot the doe let him grow