Thread: Does weather affect stags roaring?

Hey there,

First time poster, fairly new and inexperienced hunter and first time going out in the bush during the roar.

Just a question, I went out for an overnighter last weekend and had heaps of stags roaring where I was, but then went out again yesterday (Wednesday) and didn't hear a single roar in the same area.

Does that mean the roars over for that area? Or I was thinking since it was windy and lightly raining it might've mean't the stags weren't out roaring? Probably doesn't
- just a thought



cheers

Good stuff did you get to spot any of the animals you heard,certainly doesn't mean it's over they tend to go well for a few days when a hind is in cycle then can go quite for a few days or more then spark up again when the hinds get em rarked up again

This is a subject of discussion around campfires for 100’s of years and everyone has an opinion.

MY opinion is that there are a myriad of reasons why stags roar and they all have to roughly align to make it happen but it's not an exact measurable science.
Hinds cycling, daylight hours, cooler temps, a cold snap, other stags in the area, they all play a part.
An over population of hinds will mean less completion to mate so less roaring too.

I’m sure we’ve all been out and experienced stags going off one day and quiet for a while just like you did, the only answer is to go out again!

Last Monday just before dawn we got to our hunting area on a cold foggy morning, at least four stags roaring, ‘great’ I thought.

Then the sky got lighter and the roaring stopped like somebody had hit the ‘off’ button.

And only the odd groan for the rest of the day, nothing seen either.

So my take is (a) they only roar when it’s cold or (b) they knew they weren’t so safe when it got light.

Originally Posted by 308bob

Good stuff did you get to spot any of the animals you heard,certainly doesn't mean it's over they tend to go well for a few days when a hind is in cycle then can go quite for a few days or more then spark up again when the hinds get em rarked up again

Oh I see, that's good news then! Yeah my friend took a shot at one on a slip

I think that generally the cold will have them roaring a little bit more, however it's not a huge factor in my opinion. The number of hinds and cycling hinds along with daylight hours I think have more influence.

Biggest impact weather has would be on timing any rutting activity. If it's a shit growing season over summer and the hinds are skinny they'll cycle later and hence rut will be later, good growing earlier rut.

I'm no expert on roaring stags but I have the noted the farm stags get going when there's a bit of rain/drizzle. That has more of an effect than the cold anyway

No. Hinds cycling and pressure from hunters have the most impact on wild stags roaring. They tend to go quiet during the day because that’s when we’re all frog stomping around their patch.

I love when people say “we need a few frosts to get them going”…meanwhile I’ve been chasing roaring stags around the hills for nearly a month on sunny hot days


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Originally Posted by JoshC

No. Hinds cycling and pressure from hunters have the most impact on wild stags roaring. They tend to go quiet during the day because that’s when we’re all frog stomping around their patch.

I love when people say “we need a few frosts to get them going”…meanwhile I’ve been chasing roaring stags around the hills for nearly a month on sunny hot days

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Agree that hunting pressure is a major and often overlooked factor in reds roaring.
Just as hunting pressure will affect deer feeding behaviour to only come out in the open very close to dark, the same seems to apply to roaring.
That doesn’t discount other factors though. Satellite stags definitely result in better roaring from the boss stag - and increased chance he will come to/at you if challenged IMO, and those little fellas are hanging around because one or some of the girls is cycling.
Clear frosty morning after a cold southerly vs hot autumn day? Hmm

Just remember sound travels further on a cold frosty night so more people here more roaring so think that gets the stags roaring

Besides the complex and mysterious multifaceted mechanisms behind stags roaring, just wanted to say welcome to the forum and all the best + stay safe on your hunting as you learn!

It is bloody awesome those rear days in the scrub and theres stags roaring in all directions in the middle of the day been awhile since ive bin in that situation but then you never forget it

Farm stags around here have been quiet for the last week or so but yesterday we had a frost and they started roaring again, same this morning (no frost but still cold)
Make of that what you will.

Rain and wind seems to quieten them down. Or maybe you can't hear them as well in the bush?

Originally Posted by In2thewild

Rain and wind seems to quieten them down. Or maybe you can't hear them as well in the bush?

When they are really roaring (often for only a day or few days depending on pressure, location etc) nothing seems to stop them roaring. However I reckon you are right in general. I just spent a week in the Raukumaras, the only roaring that was heard was on the clear days, rainy days not a peep.