Thread: Finding stags

Being quite new to hunting I have a question about animal movements someone here may be able to help with.

I have been beating the feet exploring the bush in the Kaimais, have seen plenty of sign and a few hinds lurking in what I would've thought were unlikely places.

Question is- do the stags travel to where the hinds are hanging out during the roar period or will the hinds travel to the stags roaring? I have read that the hinds don't move around too much of a large area but whether that's true in reality or not I'm still to find that out.

Will be heading in again in a few days along where I've seen the animals to check it out anyway, even if it is still a bit early for in there.

I'm pretty new, so can't answer the first part. That said, I located a stag the other day finding fresh antler rubbings while out for an armed patrol. Then I was walking with my dog and whacking random trees with a stick and heard a reply. He snuck up on me and winded me a few minutes later but that was a cool encounter.
So keep an eye out in your usual spot for young trees missing bark and you might get onto something.

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

The stags are with the hinds this time of the year.

The hinds sometimes are in a small mob and the stag will round them up and keep them for himself and stop other stags from trying to mate with them. Hence the reason why they have huge scraps.

Thats also the reason why when you're sneaking in on a stag that a spiker / young stag on the outside of the group of hinds will bust you and bark. The young silly ones get shot first.

I will endeavour to give your question a go with some generalisations - It seems you are doing a lot right and have found sign and deer - now you need to find stags - firstly I would imagine the Kaimais would be spooky deer who are rather human aware - what that may well mean is that a lot of stag activity will be at night - camp out and listen at night - avoid the temptation to roar just listen - stags will establish a stamping ground - a wallow and a beat they do - its their piece of territory - they will look for hinds and try to hold them in that territory - rubbing and wallows will tell you yup in right place - hunt it at dawn and close to dark - very slowly and with wind right - learn how to do a red hind in esterus call and if your stag will roar but is holed up in real thick stuff and is reluctant to show himself that call can entice him to move - google the hind call and practice it - if you have two stags going shut up go into ninja mode and just stalk in silently - the hinds will not go looking but will feed in their normal places unless the stag chases them around - a lot depends on how much roaring activity there is - a number of stags going the better - but I suspect Kaimais will be hard work - but certainly avoid the temptation to roar to much -you may well shut up more than you ever get going

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I will endeavour to give your question a go with some generalisations - It seems you are doing a lot right and have found sign and deer - now you need to find stags - firstly I would imagine the Kaimais would be spooky deer who are rather human aware - what that may well mean is that a lot of stag activity will be at night - camp out and listen at night - avoid the temptation to roar just listen - stags will establish a stamping ground - a wallow and a beat they do - its their piece of territory - they will look for hinds and try to hold them in that territory - rubbing and wallows will tell you yup in right place - hunt it at dawn and close to dark - very slowly and with wind right - learn how to do a red hind in esterus call and if your stag will roar but is holed up in real thick stuff and is reluctant to show himself that call can entice him to move - google the hind call and practice it - if you have two stags going shut up go into ninja mode and just stalk in silently - the hinds will not go looking but will feed in their normal places unless the stag chases them around - a lot depends on how much roaring activity there is - a number of stags going the better - but I suspect Kaimais will be hard work - but certainly avoid the temptation to roar to much -you may well shut up more than you ever get going

Well said Barry,all of this is spot on I reckon

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

I will endeavour to give your question a go with some generalisations - It seems you are doing a lot right and have found sign and deer - now you need to find stags - firstly I would imagine the Kaimais would be spooky deer who are rather human aware - what that may well mean is that a lot of stag activity will be at night - camp out and listen at night - avoid the temptation to roar just listen - stags will establish a stamping ground - a wallow and a beat they do - its their piece of territory - they will look for hinds and try to hold them in that territory - rubbing and wallows will tell you yup in right place - hunt it at dawn and close to dark - very slowly and with wind right - learn how to do a red hind in esterus call and if your stag will roar but is holed up in real thick stuff and is reluctant to show himself that call can entice him to move - google the hind call and practice it - if you have two stags going shut up go into ninja mode and just stalk in silently - the hinds will not go looking but will feed in their normal places unless the stag chases them around - a lot depends on how much roaring activity there is - a number of stags going the better - but I suspect Kaimais will be hard work - but certainly avoid the temptation to roar to much -you may well shut up more than you ever get going

Cheers for the info Barry. So seeing as I've seen hinds last couple of weekends it sounds like it will be the area to start.

Have managed to tip over a couple of Sika at close quaters bush stalking, hopefully a frothed up red isn't as flighty as those little buggers hahaha