Thread: Stag question

Last week my son and I came across a couple of velvet stags. We just watched them through the binos. My question is... How long will they live in the same area? Do they feed and bed down in the same area or do they move around a bit? I won't be able to get back to the spot until February. What are the chances he will still be there? We didn't spook him as far as I can tell.

He won’t move until March probably.

How dry it gets can make a difference to staying or moving, once the velvet has grown to full potential and their body is good and fat they don't do much if undisturbed. Don't forget there is two long weekends coming up, a few may have a leave pass, last before the roar. Have been keeping watch on a couple of fallow stags, both very fat and not going far, see them most morning I go for a look.

Cool. Thanks for that. He looked to be in good nick. He was in some open country. It looks pretty barren but there is water around.
Hopefully we will catch up with him in a couple of weeks.

Once he has stripped he will move into the bush

He still looked to be in velvet. Not a massive head but Oliver is keen to have a crack. Hopefully he will still be there when we get back.

They generally start splitting up from Waitangi weekend. Big boys first then the younger ones at the end of the month.

Lines up with when they start stripping.

Maybe different in the bush, but generally the case on our tops.