Thread: Latest NZ Hunter Mag

what pisses me off.....and yes Im happy to be called an old fudd....is the yearly race to bag a good stag,before the buggers have fired a shot of their own....... stripping velvet and staining antlers so it looks like a "real trophy should" is a bit of a double standard. and yes its gone on for years...
it used to be very frowned upon...now its open slather race to get in first and to hell with the genetics... its bad enough we always taking out the best stags,but to do so continually before they pass on genes ...well it just seems dumb to me... shooting velvet stag for the freezer...yip can understand it,but I believe most folks given the chance/option will shoot the lesser of two beasts given the choice...I know I my self have let velvety stags walk away as they looked to have potential.beside the buggers are normally huge n heavy....that said I shot 2 at once last year but mate n I harvested the meat till could not fit any more in packs and still walk...but they were still at button stage so no idea of potential.
when I tally it up I seem to shoot 2-3 hinds per stag.