Thread: What deer is this?

So my brother just sent me the below pictures following an evening hunt, asking me what species I thought it was. Area is Parawera, Waikato. Not somewhere we commonly hunt and I'm really only familiar with fallow and red deer.

What says the forum? Sika? Bigger than a fallow buck, guessed as standing 1m at the shoulder.

Rusa

Originally Posted by Double tap

Rusa

Honestly, that's what I wondered too. But I thought they were mainly around Galatea way?

Antlers look rusa-like, but I would expect the animal to be much bigger if it was a rusa, so I'll guess Sika.

Escappee. Pretty sure there was a blocl with some around that area.

a dead one...and hopefully a tasty one....

Definitely Rusa I would say...!

ignoring the antlers looks to have that different / rougher Rusa hair coat

Thanks all - consensus seems to be Rusa (also dead and hopefully tasty). Interesting, I wonder if it's a one-off escapee or there's actually a breeding population there somewhere?

There are wild Rusa in parts of the NI that would surprise many

That gets my juices going!! Makes me hunger to get back to New Caledonia. Only shot a couple of meat animals so far but a trophy hunt is definitely still on my hit list. Have what we consider family over there, love the place.

I shot Mollucan Rush in Cape York years ago. They are smaller than the Javan variety but look the same. They are very good to eat.

Originally Posted by Hurricane

I shot Mollucan Rush in Cape York years ago. They are smaller than the Javan variety but look the same. They are very good to eat.

Yes very good eating I favoured the rusa over the chital

Originally Posted by Gibo

There are wild Rusa in parts of the NI that would surprise many

A guy I know nailed a very nice stag near Mahia about ? 2yrs ago.

Rusa,Sika......never in my life of killing & eating game have I shot and noshed on either........have I missed out as far as yummy goes lol.
Do these chaps and chap..esses taste better than say Whitetails,Fallow???