The Roar can be saved

Hi. If hunting is allowed sometime soon, even if its day trips only the roar can be saved.
Clearly its been a sad time missing the "Roar" as such but some people might not know that the next best time to hunt stags is 1-3 months after the roar has finished.

I have always done well in this time period , hunting down stags that i missed out on in the roar and have always got a good one bush stalking and maybe a couple more.
In our region i have always found where the areas stags were in the Roar they stay in that area feeding up hard for 1-3 months after, generally closer to the 3 months than one.

So its a simple plan to head to areas where the stags were and look for high feed areas in and around that area and you find sign of the stags feeding up for the winter.
They generally feed later in the morning, staying on the flats that little bit longer and coming out a touch earlier in the evenings.

I have great success and i prob get one ok as soon as we can get out in the bush again.
As havnt been out it will require knowledge of your hunting areas where in the past stags tend to be in the roar and go for a look.

I know two hunting areas every year for the last 4 (not counting last year)i have got a stag in the roar and at least got one or two more after the roar because stags always head there year after year.

Therres always that certain terrance , spur with a flat below etc where you always find sign of a stag from march till end of june and its just a case of hunting him down.



Last "roar " i missed out, heard some great action but missed out on a stag in the roar but month and abit after got this beauty in the bush and i was happy as







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So, its been a suck time for a hunter, but hopefully we be able to get out soon and let the roar begin.....just without the roaring but the stags will be there.
They be less wary than normal(other than the roar), feeding later, but they be there and getting one bush stalking without them making a racket giving away they location is somewhat
more of a acheivement in my books, so Hot barrels, stay safe .
Written esp for the newbies hunters

Gidday I assume they still will be high up not down by the river flats as in spring. North facing slopes?

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Originally Posted by Mohawk660

Gidday I assume they still will be high up not down by the river flats as in spring. North facing slopes?

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Not always. they be on the river flats before the heavy frosts come ok. I know 3 or 4 areas i can go to in the next two months and it will be likely there be sign of a stag feeding on the river flats no problem.
High feed areas is where you want to look, low or high it wont matter.
Stag shit is easy to see so looking for that sign and hunt that area , esp if theres good feed and head of creeks nearby where the stag will go to bed up and hang for the day.
Creek heads are always good for a stag, they tend to be higher and tops of ridges but early morning head for the grass low and see what signs there.
As long as it doesnt get too cold and freeze over i got a few low down right into july. In winter north facing and sunny areas is the go, creek heads and on the tops of ridges but
when winter really kicks in they disappear from the areas they were in the roar and can be very hard to find.

Thanks appreciate the advice, most my hunting is in the spring, but figure ill give autumn and early winter ago this year.... Thanks covid!!!

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Originally Posted by Mohawk660

Thanks appreciate the advice, most my hunting is in the spring, but figure ill give autumn and early winter ago this year.... Thanks covid!!!

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i have shot more deer in the winter than i have in the spring or summer. Winter was always the time i hunted most. Normally damp under foot, less noise.
Find the sunny faces and the sign as the deer dont move that much just hunt that area and you always come across the deer. While i got older, crossing cold rivers and creeks and getting up early
on frozen mornings im not as keen and look forward to spring and autum more but from experience you can do very well in DOC blocks in winter.
Just a case of getting up early and covering the ground and find the sign

I like end of April and May is a good time to chase stags, they are feeding hard out for winter. With this lockdown been going on they should be a lot relaxed not having any pressure put on them in the high human traffic areas and probably less nocturnal.

Looking forward to May if we are allowed out. One valley I hunt has deer on the flats until around mid to late May. Be back to hunting sunny faces after that. Hoping to get a nice chamois skin this year.

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Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Why not just leave the stags alone and target hinds?
Unless you stumble on a very good stag, the excitement of hunting a stag will be no different to a hind. Stags will be very average to eat. And less hinds will mean stags will have to compete to breed next season. So "cull" stags will be less likely to leave their genetics. Nature has been doing this since time began.
Realistically, most hunters don't have the skills to make a good call on what is a cull stag in normal hunting conditions (me included).

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Mmm... clearly dont do alot of bush stalking? Animal numbers too high? Private blocks?
1 This year is different, everyone looks forward to hunting the roar and getting a stag. as the roars been cancelled im just pointing out the roar can be saved and this next 2- months etc is the time to get that stag you missed out on.
2 If you bush stalk, the excitement of coming across a stag outside the roar is huge compared to some hind.
Its a fact that many "bushstalkers"and hunters hunting DOC land in thick bush and not open areas hardy ever see and get a stag outside the roar (depends on area and animal numbers) hence why every man and his dog hunt the roar.
Its not the best time to get a top eating animal but the excitement of a roaring stag and maybe the only time they going to see one in the bush.
3 Stags are very cunning, extremely . The roar they drop there guard. But generally outside the roar they take off to any sound, sight of a hunter and gone before you even see one and live
in some knarly areas the average hunter wont even go .
4 Outside that march -june time period for a bush stalker a stag in antler is the best challage to find in the bush.

Cant remeber the people that cant believe the number of stags i get outside the roar in the bush as others only come across hinds etc and thats what they only get.
5 Never really ate a bad stag so its great food for me anyway.
6 Horses for different courses...our area the stags are 90% crap, you not going to shoot a trophy around local esp in the bush. So in our DOC blocks what gets seen generally gets shot.
They simply not going to grow into anything special, and the amount of hunters and the most 1080 bombed area in the country theres no point in leaving one, you never see it again anyway lol.

Yes, if you want a challege, try bush stalking a stag outside the roar and into late winter in the bush while its in hard antler...now thats real hunting.

PS im a meat hunter, i generally shoot hinds and younger deer but happy to get what i come across and seeing a stag bush stalking always gives me excitement way over seeing any other deer
I know how to hunt them outside the roar so its always a great challeage and i happy chase one esp if havnt seen one in awhile.........thrill of the chase! (Anyone can shoot a hind )
Plus, not like im shooting hundreds and i hunt at least 15 different places,plus always hunting new areas so some places im only going once a year.
Managing the blocks i hunt so im never shooting them out :thumbsup:

May is best month of year for hunting Deer in my Diary
Usually 2nd week on wards
Condition of animal can be the only negative
Guys who I could not put onto Deer in Roar (as its bush hunting not shooting) I could always steer them onto a Stag post Roar - evening track or clearing sitting.
Anyone who has access to open country will see Deer and still a very good chance of a good head

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Originally Posted by deer243

i have shot more deer in the winter than i have in the spring or summer. Winter was always the time i hunted most. Normally damp under foot, less noise.
Find the sunny faces and the sign as the deer dont move that much just hunt that area and you always come across the deer. While i got older, crossing cold rivers and creeks and getting up early
on frozen mornings im not as keen and look forward to spring and autum more but from experience you can do very well in DOC blocks in winter.
Just a case of getting up early and covering the ground and find the sign

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Best i harden up and get a warmer jacket then!��

:)

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