Thread: First stag

First stag for the roar. Possibly the last due to my time issues, and my first off the tops.Preferring to hunt bush.
Making it to the tops just as it was getting light I sat down to glass and took great pleasure in watching 2 stags and 3 hinds way above the bush line feeding and pushing each other around. These would have to wait for another day as I had to be home by 5pm and they were miles away.
Walking over and around the ridge I was on I made my way along the other side above the bush line noticing some fresh sign,by now the sun was starting to get up properly and I decided to get up over the ridge again and to a gully head before the sun got into it.
Peaking over the ridge I had a quick scan before hurrying over trying to avoid silhouetting myself and sat down to glass.
A roar to my left had me dropping the binos for the Sako and still panting profusely from my clime(need to get fit) took the shot at 80ish yards. First shot was front on in the chest and as he bolted downhill I got another in his shoulder before he did a superman down into a cataract.
I had my amax load in the mag expecting a 200 plus shot in this open country.
5 mins later I was nearly down to him and he was still holding his head up.

Another shot in the brisket made him try and stand up and then I got one in behind the shoulder. putting him down for good.
Why the hell didnt you shoot him in the neck you may well ask. I would have but wanted this head skin for another head.
Lesson learned, a barnes will always be in the top of the mag from now on even if expecting long shots.
A short vid

First two shots taken from here

Bit of scenery





Im sure plenty of locals will pick this spot from the photos,please give me a chance to get another forum member onto the other deer I saw.

Excellent stuff!!

Good stuff cam

The nelson standard 8 pionter, you are using the 168 a-max? an he took 4? thats what i load for my brother an his 2 mates an been dirty pig hunters they rave over them how well things die

Originally Posted by tui_man2

Good stuff cam

The nelson standard 8 pionter, you are using the 168 a-max? an he took 4? thats what i load for my brother an his 2 mates an been dirty pig hunters they rave over them how well things die

Yep thats them,had good performance with them +200y so far. He was a big big boy photos and vid dont do him justice.
Hind would have been fine im sure, as it was his lungs were peppered all over with small shrapnel after just making it threw 10-12"s of shoulder or the brisket. If he wasn't so close(or was a hind/spiker) all that fragmentation would have happened in the lungs.

He was buggered after the first 2 but I didnt want him going any further down. and wanted to end his suffering.

Nice one, gotta love tops hunting and seeing plenty of game!

Cheers Steve I did enjoy watching deer being deer.
Comon people click the like button i need a new knife

Looks like hes nice an fat in good condition there mate

Originally Posted by tonka

Looks like hes nice an fat in good condition there mate

+1

The stag i got down here an the hine last weekend an the 4 that me an adam n fallows got down south couple weekends ago, for the summer we have had on the coast where all in poor comdition, full gut bags but not much fat on them?? an hasnt been wet we have had mint weather this summer an lots of feed around to.

But yours looks like good fat cunt be good eating cam

You will have to head back up an try for others?

Well done on your first stag Cam. Just a wee tip. The tip of a blade between the skull and the top vertabre, severeing the spinal chord will expire a deer quickly, will not wreck the headskin and save you some ammo and most importantly any suffering for the animal.
Be careful, obviously, if there is still a bit of go in them but it is quick and tidy.

Originally Posted by R93

Well done on your first stag Cam. Just a wee tip. The tip of a blade between the skull and the top vertabre, severeing the spinal chord will expire a deer quickly, will not wreck the headskin and save you some ammo and most importantly any suffering for the animal.
Be careful, obviously, if there is still a bit of go in them but it is quick and tidy.

Cheers R93, Its not my first just my first off the tops lol, headskin is for the one in the center of my avatar

Originally Posted by tui_man2

+1

The stag i got down here an the hine last weekend an the 4 that me an adam n fallows got down south couple weekends ago, for the summer we have had on the coast where all in poor comdition, full gut bags but not much fat on them?? an hasnt been wet we have had mint weather this summer an lots of feed around to.

But yours looks like good fat cunt be good eating cam

You will have to head back up an try for others?

Yep the inside fillets were mint for lunch yesterday
In pretty good nick but not a lot of fat on him heaps around his insides. The hind Gav eventually got on the social club trip had over 2'' of fat over her rump!
Yep next weekend weather playing ball

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Cheers R93, Its not my first just my first off the tops lol, headskin is for the one in the center of my avatar

I went off the title, sorry. Headskins are a pain to get right. Hope it is a suitable one.

Originally Posted by R93

I went off the title, sorry. Headskins are a pain to get right. Hope it is a suitable one.

Im trying to get a collection of em Give the taxidermist the choice of what will fit best. This one was nice with some age on him but has about a week old cut on his nose from scrapping,also his pedicals are a bit smaller in diameter. Not sure how much they can stretch them round or add a bit in?

I am not to sure either but pick up on a few things from a mate who is a good Taxi says. They can accomodate most things. I dont think you will have a problem with the pedicules. It can be too hard to match the skin to the form if the skin is way big.