Thread: Stags shot 2017

Well I hope you find him, our it was a clean miss.
Then you can have another go ah.

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Well got up at sparrows fart this morning plan was to look for the big boy wind was not ideal so initially hatched an in-between plan I started getting into the zone of where he hangs out & started glassing I spotted a couple of hinds then I saw a stag appear (outside of what I figered was his ground & around 1 k away) I could see his antlers but it was hard to tell what it was like being only semi light & dark fern behind him I expected it wouldn't be him but needed to check so off I went , sure enough he a was a young 10 not good enough to disturb the area so I back tracked leaving then to it & revaluated the wind which had picked up quite a bit , I decided to head way south & swing around to approach as best I could but it would take me a good couple of k,s to get there & some new country to explore inbetween , well I couldn't believe my luck not long after I parked the bike up & headed into the scrub I heard a stag roar & not far away we exchanged roars for 15 minuets I was trying to coax him onto a small tussock clearing but by this stage he was backing off pretty quickly so I figered he was a young stag or he had hinds so I put the pace on to catch him up not long after I saw movement , was this the roaring stag
Attachment 66430

Supected not as lots of sign around so carried on for another 100 meters pushing through the scrub I came to a more open gully immediately I spotted 3 hinds & below them was a big dark stag I quickly looked at him through the bino,s nice long timber even had the through backs 12pt minimum 200 meters away I quickly looked for a rest so grabbing a handful of Manuka I bent it over & put the gun on top the wind was gusty & blowing the manuka I was resting on I waited & waited I believe the stag may have been looking at the spiker I had spooked earlier as he kept looking over his shoulder & after the last episode of me watching a good stag walk off I wasn't going to let that happen again wind dropped a little , boom ...poleaxed he basically lurched forward & fell into the scrub I quickly moved forward 20 meters & stripped a small manuka to get a better rest & watch for 5 minutes incase he got up by this stage there was hinds bounding all over the show but aside from the odd bit of movement from the stag ( could only see scrub moving) which I took for death throws I couldn't believe my luck so I quickly took note of a couple of bushes to give some bearing of where he fell & headed over I always get on the higher side rather than the lower when approaching animals & quietly started scanning down below ...nothing I looked for 15 minutes wondering if I was in the rite spot going high & low then I heard some crashing I chased that for 20 meters saw nothing but figured it must have been a fawn that I had seen earlyer so went back searched for 15 I could not find 1 single drop of blood but bugger me when I got to the end of the search zone more crashing from ruffly the same place this time I chased it up following the noise till it stopped which was a more open gut I couldn't see any movement at all. the scrub/flax/gorse in places be 1.5m high its pretty thick what was it I don't no , I left with no stag im totally stumped maybe iv simply walked past him , maybe the crashing was him.all I no is boom flop no stag il be back up there tomorrow with more eyes & a couple of dogs...sad story I no but it happens figered id post it

Great you have the opportunity to get back for another look. Good luck.

The roar has started. Just back from an epic week in Haast region. There was no roaring until thursday evening, then they started on the tops and bush up high. So anyone going in for second ballot period - its all on now.

My mate shot a stag, I got a spiker, and all of the meat bar one shoulder.

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Well got up at sparrows fart this morning plan was to look for the big boy wind was not ideal so initially hatched an in-between plan I started getting into the zone of where he hangs out & started glassing I spotted a couple of hinds then I saw a stag appear (outside of what I figered was his ground & around 1 k away) I could see his antlers but it was hard to tell what it was like being only semi light & dark fern behind him I expected it wouldn't be him but needed to check so off I went , sure enough he a was a young 10 not good enough to disturb the area so I back tracked leaving then to it & revaluated the wind which had picked up quite a bit , I decided to head way south & swing around to approach as best I could but it would take me a good couple of k,s to get there & some new country to explore inbetween , well I couldn't believe my luck not long after I parked the bike up & headed into the scrub I heard a stag roar & not far away we exchanged roars for 15 minuets I was trying to coax him onto a small tussock clearing but by this stage he was backing off pretty quickly so I figered he was a young stag or he had hinds so I put the pace on to catch him up not long after I saw movement , was this the roaring stag
Attachment 66430

Supected not as lots of sign around so carried on for another 100 meters pushing through the scrub I came to a more open gully immediately I spotted 3 hinds & below them was a big dark stag I quickly looked at him through the bino,s nice long timber even had the through backs 12pt minimum 200 meters away I quickly looked for a rest so grabbing a handful of Manuka I bent it over & put the gun on top the wind was gusty & blowing the manuka I was resting on I waited & waited I believe the stag may have been looking at the spiker I had spooked earlier as he kept looking over his shoulder & after the last episode of me watching a good stag walk off I wasn't going to let that happen again wind dropped a little , boom ...poleaxed he basically lurched forward & fell into the scrub I quickly moved forward 20 meters & stripped a small manuka to get a better rest & watch for 5 minutes incase he got up by this stage there was hinds bounding all over the show but aside from the odd bit of movement from the stag ( could only see scrub moving) which I took for death throws I couldn't believe my luck so I quickly took note of a couple of bushes to give some bearing of where he fell & headed over I always get on the higher side rather than the lower when approaching animals & quietly started scanning down below ...nothing I looked for 15 minutes wondering if I was in the rite spot going high & low then I heard some crashing I chased that for 20 meters saw nothing but figured it must have been a fawn that I had seen earlyer so went back searched for 15 I could not find 1 single drop of blood but bugger me when I got to the end of the search zone more crashing from ruffly the same place this time I chased it up following the noise till it stopped which was a more open gut I couldn't see any movement at all. the scrub/flax/gorse in places be 1.5m high its pretty thick what was it I don't no , I left with no stag im totally stumped maybe iv simply walked past him , maybe the crashing was him.all I no is boom flop no stag il be back up there tomorrow with more eyes & a couple of dogs...sad story I no but it happens figered id post it

Don't give up the search brother. It's happened to me before too, with a Sika. Blood trail just stopped...no stag ANYWHERE. Still convinced he was dead and close, but we never found him.


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Went up today looked for 3 or 4 hrs nothing I carnt even find where he went over in a couple of places there are small ditches covered in native scrub/gorse searched them basically grid searched it as best I could , no blood anywhere my last impression I have is him lurching forward & crashing into the scrub & staying where he went down , for a couple of minutes I watched to make sure he didn't get back up im beginning to think hes gotten up after iv crossed the gully to find him.

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Went up today looked for 3 or 4 hrs nothing I carnt even find where he went over in a couple of places there are small ditches covered in native scrub/gorse searched them basically grid searched it as best I could , no blood anywhere my last impression I have is him lurching forward & crashing into the scrub & staying where he went down , for a couple of minutes I watched to make sure he didn't get back up im beginning to think hes gotten up after iv crossed the gully to find him.

Got access to a good dog ;-) If he's down a good nose will find him

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Went up today looked for 3 or 4 hrs nothing I carnt even find where he went over in a couple of places there are small ditches covered in native scrub/gorse searched them basically grid searched it as best I could , no blood anywhere my last impression I have is him lurching forward & crashing into the scrub & staying where he went down , for a couple of minutes I watched to make sure he didn't get back up im beginning to think hes gotten up after iv crossed the gully to find him.

Wheres that dislike button?!

go back in a weeks time try again.if hes there you should find him. i lost my first ever stag i shot in the roar went back a week later and it was with in twenty meters had slid down under a big log i must have walked pasted it half dozen times looking for it.

Have you gone back to where you shot from to have another look at the ground to confirm you're searching the right place?

You could have also hit vertebrae along the back or neck which will polaxe a deer.
They can then get up as tho nothing has happened and heal up fine.
Hope ya find him.



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Originally Posted by R93

Have you gone back to where you shot from to have another look at the ground to confirm you're searching the right place?

You could have also hit vertebrae along the back or neck which will polaxe a deer.
They can then get up as tho nothing has happened and heal up fine.
Hope ya find him.



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Yip, I neck shot a stag years ago in the roar that collapsed, I'ver never found him, must have just stunned him.

Yea I took the missz up this morning I went to my shooting spot & directed her to where I thought the stag was but I must say the exact spot he was standing I couldn't for sure say at the time I lined up 2 Manuka bushs for a ruff guide as it's a scrub / Manuka face that really has no features it's bloody annoying as it's completely different looking at it to what it's actually like on the other side kind of 3D

Originally Posted by Boaraxa

Yea I took the missz up this morning I went to my shooting spot & directed her to where I thought the stag was but I must say the exact spot he was standing I couldn't for sure say at the time I lined up 2 Manuka bushs for a ruff guide as it's a scrub / Manuka face that really has no features it's bloody annoying as it's completely different looking at it to what it's actually like on the other side kind of 3D

I know what ya mean. I hunt fallow and thar in similar country. I now after a few similar experiences always take a photo on my phone or camera from where I take a shot over dead ground.

Even then you second guess yourself.
I got very used to hunting with a dog that did all the work.


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That's a bummer. You could possibly range find the spot he was standing from where you shot from and when you get to where you think the stag was range back to your shooting spot. It may just get you onto the right distance to search on.
I have neck shot animals before and had the same result, if you only clip the bone or are very close they poleaxe but can get up and go. Hope you find him, as said earlier they can slide under rubbish or logs. One good thing is if you only clipped him he will be there to fight another day.

Has someone has said go back in a weeks time he might smell more then and be easier to find.
Is there someone you can trust that has a dog? Might help in the finding?
Good luck with it.

Thanks for the suggestions guys defiantly be back up there for another look already hatching plans , I took my mates collie up there today but in reality I probably was better off taking my old dog as the collie didn't no me & basically just went for a walk...dogs can be funny like that at times...good luck to all the stags are still roaring