Thread: Should I have shot this Deer?

Better to shoot them than hinds between Nov 20th and Feb 10th when they have a fawn at foot that will just starve to death.

No, you've done nothing wrong. That bigger stag is not a trophy in the making anyway.
I'm encouraged to see a young hunter consider the question though. Too often in today's society people don't think through potential consequences of their actions. Leads to attitudes of lessened responsibility which is not good. Considering how deer populations have ballooned in recent times you would do habitat and conservation good by going out and shooting more these days. Not that I'm in a strong position to talk having shot mostly goats and very few deer in the last year. Personally I try to refrain from shooting velvet stags with potential although I admit to having done so when the temptation of prime venison at this time of year was too great. With current numbers it's generally not too hard to find suitable alternative meat animals.
Good job on packing out meat from two stags. I don't think I've ever been that fit or strong.

Nothing wrong with what you have done. Its only natural to feel a bit of sadness ( for want of a better term) after taking an animal. I always feel a bit guilty about it, but that's life. You quickly forget about it when you have the bastards on your back and grunting them out, Then I REALLY regret shooting them.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

In direct answer to your question, neither animal will make a future trophy so you can have a clean conscience for taking them.
The spiker is late and will always be small even as a mature animal. Only one spiker in a group of half a dozen will be worth leaving normally. Big well grown deer with a broad skull and strong thick spikes.
The two year old stag lacks Bey tines and his Brows and Treys are too short, he is also late as most stags start to rapidly harden from Jan 15th and his head should be grown out by now.
Some public access areas - parts Mt Oxford, Harper Avoca get a lot of pressure and hinds are not out of control so shooting poor stags as you have done is what I would do too to maintain a hunting resource.

Great answer thanks, I'll keep those aspects in consideration for future.

Appreciate everyone's responses and guidance! Good info that's gonna steer me well in future hunts!

Interesting comment about the old hunter regretting not shooting more scrappy stags and the comment about fawns being good eating! I was wondering that when a fawn left its hind and came within 50m of me before spooking.

you UTALISED the meat......that gets the big tick in my book.

I end up shooting (yes @dannyb and missing) more hinds than stags something like 4;1 but thats not planned,its just I must normally be in hind territory.
good on you for leaving what looked like a good stag.
enjoy your venison..you surely have earned it.

fawns arent good eating..they are AWESOME eating....

Anyone dedicated enough to carry 50kg meat through 1000 altitude meters, probably has enough substance of character to make good judgment on their own level of ethics around which animals to take or leave.

Most of the time in deer stalking, you will be the only one who will know what you do. So mostly it’s you that needs to be comfortable with the standards you adhere to.

Originally Posted by longshot

Anyone dedicated enough to carry 50kg meat through 1000 altitude meters, probably has enough substance of character to make good judgment on their own level of ethics around which animals to take or leave.

Most of the time in deer stalking, you will be the only one who will know what you do. So mostly it’s you that needs to be comfortable with the standards you adhere to.

Thanks, definitely not something I think I’d repeat. That said I’ve started using walking poles and now get no joint pain with heavy packs. I walked the same route last year with no meat but no poles and knees hurt for at least a week after. Walking poles are magic.

Originally Posted by Average-Lad

Thanks, definitely not something I think I’d repeat. That said I’ve started using walking poles and now get no joint pain with heavy packs. I walked the same route last year with no meat but no poles and knees hurt for at least a week after. Walking poles are magic.

Walking hills in such a way as to not get injuries is a learned skill. Shorten steps going downhill. Turn fully sideways to step down any drop that is more than a normal step height etc etc

Bit late to debate it I think

Originally Posted by Average-Lad

TLDR: After a successful trip this weekend where I shot a spiker and a young stag for meat I'm after the guidance of the wiser and more game management minded hunters on this forum on whether I should have shot the young stag or not.


This is my second year hunting big game and I'm loving it!, headed off out of Christchurch on Friday afternoon for what I wanted to be a overnight hunt, but turned into two nights. I was targeting meat animals, whilst mindful that this region has alot of deer and hunters are encouraged to manage them as much as possible.

On the second night (because I spooked everything on night one and morning one) shot the larger of the two stags pictured first then shot the spiker. There was a third stag, looking same age as the larger one but with 8-10 points, so to me looked like it had alot of potential and was an easy choice to leave.

I didn't have the chance to shoot any hinds without fawns, which I would have preferred to over the stags.

I took all good meat off both animals and pack'd it some 6km with 1000m of elevation change in about 5hours back to my car, so I'm happy I didn't waste meat or an animals life. Pack weighed 50kg so right now I'm in some pain for it. Last time I carry two animals out solo.

My question for those of you with more experience and a heart for game management: Is the stag something I should have left because it has good potential or because we should always target hinds over stags or any other reason? If the stag has some marker of potential what is it?

Another perspective might be, that with high animals numbers in the area, as many as possible should be shot.

most who have posted make good points- honestly there are so many deer around shoot them - I would only hold back on private land if the owner asked me to not shoot potential stags or bucks - often I get presented with a mob of fallow -I will target young stags or does - nah shoot mate you are a long time in the ground

Originally Posted by longshot

Anyone dedicated enough to carry 50kg meat through 1000 altitude meters, probably has enough substance of character to make good judgment on their own level of ethics around which animals to take or leave.

Most of the time in deer stalking, you will be the only one who will know what you do. So mostly it’s you that needs to be comfortable with the standards you adhere to.

Fair points you make but it takes considerable time and observation on a deer farm here or a European game park to learn what deer will grow good heads and thats with following the same deer from birth for it's life. Learning through observation of wild deer is a whole level harder, so good on the OP for asking.
What conclusions have been learned on farms ? With spikers there is a direct positive correlation with body size and later antler size - so leave the big well grown solid spikers and shoot the small ones. Plane spikes that are thick and heavy with good length and spread - leave. Heavy spikes with pearling or little brow tines - leave. Sometimes a medium sized spiker has great spikes not just the biggest. Sometimes a big spiker has thin pencil spikes and can be shot with reasonable confidence - unless they are very thick at the base with a big pedicle. Late ones like the OP's will never amount to anything even with good genetics, they have missed the important period at three - four months old when pedicle growth takes place by not being at that age at the right time of year - they are out of sync with the change in photo period before winter. The OP's 2yr old stag was probably a small spiker a year ago and will never catch up - Bang !. If he had well placed brows and Beys of good length and a good shape I would leave him as good tops will come later. A really good young stag will be a miniature version of himself in five or six years and can carry 12 points at two. This is for wild deer. Some farm bred two year olds would give the NZ wild deer records a hiding https://www.deernz.org/assets/DINZ/D...EB-cropped.pdf Link has spikers and 2,3 year olds at 4 -500 SCI plus mature up to 900 inches SCI

Every hunter ought to read this. The earlier the better.

A Sand County Almanac (1949), Aldo Leupold.

https://www.greencommunityconnection...county-almanac

Strange as it might seem to some I have read this book to my wife. Sitting there in an evening sipping a wine and me reading, stopping to discuss, and reading on was wonderful.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Every hunter ought to read this. The earlier the better.

A Sand County Almanac (1949), Aldo Leupold.

https://www.greencommunityconnection...county-almanac

Strange as it might seem to some I have read this book to my wife. Sitting there in an evening sipping a wine and me reading, stopping to discuss, and reading on was wonderful.

Thanks for the recommendation. Have placed a hold at the library.