So what deer, etc are allowed to be shot?

Dear Agony Aunt.

Biggest furry thing I've bowled so far is a hare and looking to up the anti a bit now I've had a play with the centrefires. I have some hand loads and am happy that I could get inside a 5" - 6" diameter circle out to about 300m with ease, so I think I'm ready. Now the big question is what am I allowed to shoot, as going by another forum if its a species with horns not very much. Think I've narrowed it down to only males over about 9' at the shoulder with hard antlers that are just able to get the TV antenna down mountain valleys in a period of about two to three weeks at some stage during the year. Anything else could be in the club with the next batch of afore mentioned beast (in about 10 years time) or busy possibly developing into such beast that you aren't allowed to take as someone else would like to see if indeed it develops into afore mentioned beast (in which case I think they have dibbs on it).

Sincerely,

Confused

Hell, if its brown, its down.

If its your first anything and its legal, shoot anything you bloody like mate:thumbsup:
If your hungry and it looks tasty and its legal shoot it.
Personally I try to leave hinds alone from Nov to end of Feb to try and avoid a orphan starving to death.
Otherwise if it looks like food and you are prepared to carry/eat it. SHOOT the fucker:thumbsup:

Thanks fellas, so I won't be tarred and feathered if it doesn't meet the criteria mentioned earlier? I know I'm a little old, and way too decrepit (hardly feel a day over 95), to start this hunting but it's something I want to do. Hopefully the body will hold up.

Im sure no one would begrudge someone shooting for instance a velvety stag or A 9'' cham for a first animal. Once you have a few in the freezer its time to start being selective.

get a few under your belt before you start the ethics shit.

Whack 'em, stack 'em, then kick the rest under a bush

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Originally Posted by Pointer

get a few under your belt before you start the ethics shit.

Whack 'em, stack 'em, then kick the rest under a bush

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+1

Even after all that don't worry about the ethics shit, if you don't shoot it a chopper probably will. I'll never hassle anyone for shooting something that others think should be let go. If it'll taste good shoot it I say.

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Originally Posted by Mike H

+1

Even after all that don't worry about the ethics shit, if you don't shoot it a chopper probably will. I'll never hassle anyone for shooting something that others think should be let go. If it'll taste good shoot it I say.

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Fuckin oath. The trophy of tomorrow is the steak of today. As Dogmatix said, if it's brown it's down

Hinds at this time of year with the young at foot, otherwise if you've got it in your sights it dies.

I have to say I will leave hinds also while they're likely to have young. On that note, how old does a fawn have to be before it can cater for itself?

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Originally Posted by Pointer

Fuckin oath. The trophy of tomorrow is the steak of today. As Dogmatix said, if it's brown it's down

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Yip, so very very true and more the merrier.Get into it.

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Originally Posted by Wirehunt

Hinds at this time of year with the young at foot, otherwise if you've got it in your sights it dies.

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Na just means you 2 for 1...

All deer species in NZ are able to be shot as long as you have permission to shoot in that area.

In my mind every animal you shoot is a trophy, it may not be bigger than your last one but the stalk may have been better or it may have been harder to get to.

At the end of the day there will always be those out there that will bag you for shooting a spiker and those that will bag you for shooting that big 18 pointer and removing it from the breeding pool, if i ever see a fiordland moose you can be assured i will be trying to shoot the damn thing.

As long as the stalk / hunt was enjoyable for you who cares what every one else thinks.

I dont shoot hinds this time of year,Iv seen plenty that seeem to have no fawn only to have it pop into view 1/2 an hour latter from a spot mum had it tucked away in.Velvet dosnt worry me at all.Was a time we would leave the hard antlered stags to get them in velvet the following season.

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Originally Posted by sneeze

I dont shoot hinds this time of year,Iv seen plenty that seeem to have no fawn only to have it pop into view 1/2 an hour latter from a spot mum had it tucked away in.Velvet dosnt worry me at all.Was a time we would leave the hard antlered stags to get them in velvet the following season.

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Well said sneeze, anyway, if there are few deer around, look for a spiker, they taste best anyway :)

Cant see me being bothered with anything 'trophy', I just like eating things, so do the kids. Actually the little buggers would probably tick me off if I brought home a head or antlers, they'd see that as being more carrying capacity for food. They might all be girls but they eat like teenage boys and I don't see any of them going vegetarian.:D

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Originally Posted by HeinB

Well said sneeze, anyway, if there are few deer around, look for a spiker, they taste best anyway :)

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So how do I recognize one of these spiker thingamies?

A couple of bits of bone sticking up outta it's head. Spikers as a rule don't get much more than 450mm (give or take you fussy cunts) of straight antler. They might go 600mm but no real points off that.

There has also been plenty of 2-3 year old's going eight point. Just smoke the fuckers. Red=dead! Brown=down. Good time=not a long time. Women=evil (oh wait, different conversation)

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Originally Posted by Mike H

I have to say I will leave hinds also while they're likely to have young. On that note, how old does a fawn have to be before it can cater for itself?

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Iv always worked on the end of Feb this gives them 3 and a bit months on the tit and should have a very good chance of surviving.Earlier than that and they may or may not survive,I'm sure this is how the odd very small yearling occurs.

I've never had a problem shooting hinds this time of year, as long as you take the fawn too. Having said that, Hinds this time of year for some reason don't taste the best whilst lactating. Low on condition too. But Fawns are tasty?

My father in law has a deer farm so I'll ask him his thoughts next time I'm speaking to him. I wouldn't think it'd be a problem past the end of January?

Pretty sure they are mostly on grass after 6 weeks.

Should have also added that the hind with the fawn beside it may not be its mother either.Its end of feb before ill shoot anything female but Im not trying to push my personal standards onto anyone else.Its up to the individual behind the trigger to make their own decisions.

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Originally Posted by gadgetman

So how do I recognize one of these spiker thingamies?

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What Wirehunt said, but you can also add that spikers are the ones doing REALLY DUMB things, as mum ain't around to give out advice, so a spiker will be the deer feeding at 7.30am out in the open, 100m from the hut dunny. :D

Attachment 594

Easy first deer for this young fella.

I haven't got a problem with anything getting shot as long as you don't WASTE the animal shot.
I don't shoot hinds with fawns or but each to there own.

That looks about my size dogmatix. Now that would make a great trophy tucked on the side of a plate with seasonal veg, etc. Just have to organise a day (or two) pass.

If you're planning on eating it and you have a good shot, adios Bambi I say!Attachment 596

Don't get to fussy either, a lot of people reckon stags in the roar taste like shit, that's only the way the prep them ;)

I had the ute loooking like that a few times out of the Blues. ;)

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Originally Posted by Wirehunt

Don't get to fussy either, a lot of people reckon stags in the roar taste like shit, that's only the way the prep them ;)

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I reckon the chiller was the best invention ever for the pissy-flavoured roar stag... let 'em hang

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Originally Posted by Pointer

I reckon the chiller was the best invention ever for the pissy-flavoured roar stag... let 'em hang

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Anything is improved by hanging in a chiller. I have one and its fantastic especially at this time of year.
Last year(roar) all stags shot by our party were good eating.
The year before i shot a youngish stag (est 4y) carried all four quarters back and fillets(I hunt to eat mainly and get away from it all) back to camp where they hung for 5 days.
After about 3 days I thought Id cook up the back steaks thinking they would be alright as he was fairly fat.Wrong big time and yes I know how to cook a Back steak so it melts in your mouth.
So after 5 days in the tree it spent a further 7 days in the chiller and was still strong tough chewy steak even the dog didn't like.
Not all roar stags are bad eating in fact some are bloody good.BUT this one for whatever reason was fit only for salamis or dog tucker.

Interesting to hear that, was he the dominant stag in the area? hence why he hadnt been eating? Or was he just walking dog tucker?

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Originally Posted by Pointer

Interesting to hear that, was he the dominant stag in the area? hence why he hadnt been eating? Or was he just walking dog tucker?

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Dammit typed a comprehensive reply and lost connection.
Guts of it was NO he was most likely the only stag in the immediate area and doing a lot of miles for hinds in a low population area.
Any animal will be better eating putting on condition than losing it.