Thread: Strange spring stag behaviour. Any help?

I was out hunting today in the North Island and its early spring. A good spot with moderate deer numbers and very low if not no hunting pressure in this block. There are reds and fallow in the area. This is a full public hunting spot but most the public are miles up the mountain from my location.

I bumped a deer today, and he moved about 50m up from me. He then spent the next 5 minutes maybe even 10 minutes groaning at me above — like like the early stage of a full roar in that big deep voice, sharp/loud/deep/angry. And running left and right making tons of noise and groans. I really must of pissed him off! The wind was perfectly on my side so he couldn't smell me and the deer just wasn't in a position to get down wind of me.

I tried sneaking up the ridge to get a vantage but got stoped by supplejack and had to trun around. Wasting valuable time. So I tried to sneak up the gut which has perfect access and by the time I was in position he groaned his way outta there. I just saw moving. I presume he was a big red stag and only left from being tired of my silent response. I dont think he ever saw me, smelt me and probably hardly heard me.

So here's the thing, obviously I should have snuck up the gut first and I would have got him. But my questions are:

1: Is this aggressive territorial behaviour? As in, does this Red think im an intruder and trying to challenge me in spring??! There is a decent wallow 200metres away. But its a long 200m which took me an hour to get to from this spot.
2: Would I have been better trying to charge up on him like in the rut? Instead of sneaking my way in. Normally you wouldn't get a full 10mins to plan an approached on a bumped deer and getting there quick is much better.
3: Should I have challened him with a call back? Or could I have? And with what call? Would a spring deer try and challenged me with no antlers and for what cause?
4: WTF was going on!

I've shot tons of deer but mostly in high country and only a few in the bush. So I am not very bush experienced. However, never have any deer responded like this. And its not the first deer I've seen in this spot doing strange things. Last week I had a deer literally stalk me! He heard me and followed parellel to my location with me until coming in plain site for a clear shot. I thought maybe..maybe he was trying to get down wind of me. But if it was a stage to what purpose? Maybe this is normal deer stalking I dont know. It is throwing all my expectionals of what they will do out the window.

Any help would be great.