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Thread: When stags get... hard

  1. #1
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    When stags get... hard

    Hey team,

    Thinking about a wee mission to an area I know there are OK stags in the next couple of weeks. I've not really hunted stags pre-roar before and don't have much experience with when stags are safely in hard velvet, or how to tell.

    I was told that late January is the magic time, but a friend shot a younger stag (on a farm where there are heaps) yesterday and it was still uhhh flaccid.

    So, when do red stags get hard? Is there much geographical difference in timing eg. north vs south island? And is there any way to tell, other than being very, very qwyet and sneaking up for a squeeze?

    Elliott

  2. #2
    Almost literate. veitnamcam's Avatar
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    End of Feb for the big boys and later for the young ones.
    Seasonal variations of course but as a general rule.
    "Hunting and fishing" fucking over licenced firearms owners since ages ago.

    308Win One chambering to rule them all.

  3. #3
    Almost literate. veitnamcam's Avatar
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    Also look for all the tines to be pointy and possibly he has already started stripping, any round tipped tines and its probably going to be soft still.
    "Hunting and fishing" fucking over licenced firearms owners since ages ago.

    308Win One chambering to rule them all.

  4. #4
    Member Hayden C's Avatar
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    Watangi day (6th Feb) you should be safe to shoot a mature stag.

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    Awesome, thanks @vietnamcam!

    Cheers, @Hayden C! Slightly conflicting with above suggestion but will be sure to look for pointy tips

  6. #6
    Member Hayden C's Avatar
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    The two younger stags I saw on Friday night (Canterbury) were fully formed and 'probably' just hard underneath to strip the velvet.

    Not long to go now!
    Edunn likes this.

  7. #7
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    I am happy to come with you and offer my services as a hard velvet head assessor / estimator
    HNTMAD likes this.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hayden C View Post
    The two younger stags I saw on Friday night (Canterbury) were fully formed and 'probably' just hard underneath to strip the velvet.

    Not long to go now!
    I'm hoping to catch up with this lads older brother before someone else does.

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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moa Hunter View Post
    I am happy to come with you and offer my services as a hard velvet head assessor / estimator

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    IF you can wait 4 weeks plus at least the bigger stags will start to have colour on them. Shot one 4yrs back just starting to strip and got a guy to stain it up for me but just not the same as a natural rub up job.
    Dama dama and Edunn like this.

  11. #11
    Member Cartman's Avatar
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    Stags are hard in Southland.

    Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
    Edunn likes this.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigbear View Post
    IF you can wait 4 weeks plus at least the bigger stags will start to have colour on them. Shot one 4yrs back just starting to strip and got a guy to stain it up for me but just not the same as a natural rub up job.
    Good point! Permanganate doesn't quite look as good as el natural.
    bigbear likes this.

  13. #13
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    Was going to give the wife and boy couple bits of kanuka tree and just rub it on they weren't keen
    veitnamcam, Gibo and Edunn like this.

  14. #14
    Member Goosebayhunter's Avatar
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    Depending in the Age of the Stag and genetics some game park stags are hard first week of January I've seen them start to Strip. Most of our big stags are hard now.

    The lads in aus shot 4 big ones last weekend and all hard..

    We always say after first week of Feb is good for anything worth shooting anyways. Younger stags can take another week.
    We have done hunts from 7th of Feb onwards and I have a stag hunt on the 8th for 5 days.



    Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goosebayhunter View Post
    Depending in the Age of the Stag and genetics some game park stags are hard first week of January I've seen them start to Strip. Most of our big stags are hard now.

    The lads in aus shot 4 big ones last weekend and all hard..

    We always say after first week of Feb is good for anything worth shooting anyways. Younger stags can take another week.
    We have done hunts from 7th of Feb onwards and I have a stag hunt on the 8th for 5 days.



    Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
    Great info, thanks mate!

 

 

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