Thread: Are they in hard antler yet?

Hey guys, just wondering if people have started seeinng stags in hard antler yet?

Cheers

Around February 20th for Sika in the eastern Kawekas

Originally Posted by Dawg

Hey guys, just wondering if people have started seeinng stags in hard antler yet?

Cheers

Some will be, some won't be. Doesn't happen all at the same time.

Most still carrying velvet in the Ruahines from what Ive seen last few days.
Seen one big stag stripping it.
Have failed to get a decent picture.


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The bigger stags should begin stripping around now. Spikers and younger stags not quite yet but the question is really like asking how long is a piece of string in that even though you can answer "exactly twice half its length" you still don't get an answer that tells you what you want to know because stags will harden off at different times across the country.

Originally Posted by Rushy

The bigger stags should begin stripping around now. Spiders and younger stags not quite yet but the question is really like asking how long is a piece of string in that even though you can answer "exactly twice half its length" you still don't get an answer that tells you what you want to know because stags will harden off at different times across the country.

I know what you mean @Rushy

Originally Posted by Shearer

I know what you mean @Rushy

Bloody auto spell correct. Fixed it now. Thanks Shearer.

Yea down here end of feb for mature stags to strip as a general rule depending on seasonal variations. spikers can still be in velvet mid march depending.

Was in Haurangi on weekend, saw a young stag and an older one (hanging with hinds and fawns no less) and they were still in velvet, older one was 8-10pt, very grey looking so prob strip ok

Hamish

Everyone is asking this question. Patience.

You can tell when they are hard. The velvety, fluffy, greyish stuff starts coming of.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Everyone is asking this question. Patience.

You can tell when they are hard. The velvety, fluffy, greyish stuff starts coming of.

Sage wisdom right there Tahr.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Everyone is asking this question. Patience.

You can tell when they are hard. The velvety, fluffy, greyish stuff starts coming of.

Or even wait till they have removed it themselves.

Shoot it strip it stain it doesnt wash with me, either you are a trophy hunter or not, if you are a real trophy hunter you wouldnt shoot the bugger in velvet then strip it yourself and stain it to look like you shot it in another more difficult part of the year.

I have yet to see an artificially stained set look any good up close.
I love the look of the big South Westland heads, been rubbed up on totara.



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I like the dark almost black bush heads myself tho the pale yellow tops heads have their own appeal also.

Saw a stag getting a one-way ride on the back of a ute through culverden a couple of days ago, was mostly stripped, few patches of velvet hanging on.