Thread: Stags & Bucks 2022

First pic is tararuas animals last weekend with a mate, he got the 8 which is a real nice bush fella, the last pic is a ruahines fella from apiti area which was an awesome hunt, had my son with me and he shot a hind off a slip for his first public land long neck. then a couple of hours later as we were starting to head out up a STEEP ridge we got a moan from across the gully behind us(only roar heard for the day)so we roared back and he fired up and started going real good, there was a small slip 200 yards across that I thought he may show himself on so we found a tiny gap in the trees about 20m up from where we were and kept him roaring and sure enough he popped out just long enough to site him and I shot him as he was heading back in.Unfortunately he didn't tumble down as the slog up to him was in some real niggly bush,my boy was into it though.the walk out was very fun!with the timber and loins on deck!

grow bigger and breed young fella....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Attachment 194321 grow bigger and breed young fella....

Yes, yes and yes. No more than 3yrs old and possibly a 2yr old.

side view

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Attachment 194321 grow bigger and breed young fella....

Great potential right there

Originally Posted by Trout

Ugly bugger.

@Trout I might be rough and ugly, but at least Im experienced. And I drive a Ford.

He looked magnificent when he was strutting his stuff and roaring. Great big full bellied and swollen neck aged wild NZ stag. I probably wouldn't have shot him if I had seen his poorer side antler. One of the very few deer that I had a pang of sorrow and regret over when I saw him laying there dead. A true old monarch. i've kept his antlers out of respect.

Originally Posted by ethos

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Thats very cool. Good stag, good boy, good pic!

Originally Posted by hebe

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Just got out of a 7 day walkabout type hunt through the middle section of the Ruahines with a couple of mates. Shot 5 stags and 2 hinds between us. The intent was to shoot a few deer and do our bit for the park while exploring some of the lesser visited country in the 1080 zone.

The first stag was the best of them, hind called him out of his wallow for my mate to shoot.
Third one, spotted him from 3 km away on the tops holding a hind in the middle of the day.

These deer were the fattest deer I’ve ever seen on public land anywhere, perhaps a sign that numbers are where they need to be in that area. Might write a report later but for now I’m off to go south for the second half of my roar.

@hebe Nice. Your mate has always been up for a hikoi. I took him out for one of his first hunts. A good lad who's all grown up now.

Originally Posted by ethos

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unusual 12 indeed it is....got the double tops normally seen on a 14 but one missing each side lower down...and spots on coat too.... did you or the young fella squeaze trigger on him????
lovely looking stag no matter how you look at him.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

unusual 12 indeed it is....got the double tops normally seen on a 14 but one missing each side lower down...and spots on coat too.... did you or the young fella squeaze trigger on him????
lovely looking stag no matter how you look at him.

Cheers MD.
Executioner was me.
This is public land and ethos junior (11 y o ) in the pic walked more than 2 hours with a pack after a long drive before this guy fired up near dark as we pitched a tent.
Young fella then stalked in with me, he was shaking with excitement as we closed the gap.
Such a cool hunt, he got to see it all (except the stag before the shot), when to roar and when not to (99% not on this hunt) gaining height, using the wind and closing the deal.
Such a great learner- he was timing his movements to the stags roaring when he noticed I was doing the same. Proud dad moments eh.
Yeah stag is decent for a peripheral fiordland bush animal (I’m stoked with him as a trophy for a great hunt) and the spots are unusual, big mature bodied animal still has good fat reserves. I should be better at ageing but to me he’s mature and thinking about going back, there is a weird possible 13th point at back of antler low down near bey tine line.
He was roaring well.

Originally Posted by ethos

Cheers MD.
Executioner was me.
This is public land and ethos junior (11 y o ) in the pic walked more than 2 hours with a pack after a long drive before this guy fired up near dark as we pitched a tent.
Young fella then stalked in with me, he was shaking with excitement as we closed the gap.
Such a cool hunt, he got to see it all (except the stag before the shot), when to roar and when not to (99% not on this hunt) gaining height, using the wind and closing the deal.
Such a great learner- he was timing his movements to the stags roaring when he noticed I was doing the same. Proud dad moments eh.
Yeah stag is decent for a peripheral fiordland bush animal (I’m stoked with him as a trophy for a great hunt) and the spots are unusual, big mature bodied animal still has good fat reserves. I should be better at ageing but to me he’s mature and thinking about going back, there is a weird possible 13th point at back of antler low down near bey tine line.
He was roaring well.

I’ve got a ten pointer from peripheral fiordland that is an absolute spitter for that stag. Cool to see its a genetic thing rather than fluke.

Originally Posted by JoshC

Six days of perfect weather, stags roaring well, worked bloody hard - averaging 11km per day and after passing up several stags during the week, I caught this guy out sneaking across the clearing right on dark 10 minutes from our camping spot that night. He looked mighty on the hoof, and when I roared to stop him before he went into the bush, he went mental. For the first time in years I got some serious buck fever. With no rest available I settled myself down and dropped him with a neck shot at 135m. Tenth roar trip to the West Coast, so maybe it’s fitting that I shot this lovely old stag? Perfectly even 12, just shy of 40x40 but I’ll take it, and will probably put him on the wall. Safe to say he’s probably as pure original genetics as one could hope for. Best stag I’ve seen and managed to bring home from South Westland/Main Divide in 70+ days hunting over there. Had some of his back steak last night for tea…delicious.

Stag of the year in my opinion, given location and representative head. Absolute stunner, well done @JoshC

Got this one right up under me with a bit of roaring 10 days ago. Too young so left him on the hoof. Hopefully he’s still around in time. Another more mature 8 in the background. Only one hind with the two stags.

Was in the Bluies over the weekend. Bloody dry in there. Only heard one croak right on dark on Sunday which would be typical. Got onto a buck 15m away with good brows and solid body but the tops were still too small but coming along. Still too young so left him to it.

Resized photo quality pretty average.