The first deer I didn’t shoot…

Gidday fellas,

An odd thing happened last night.. out hunting on some private land, plenty of deer about and always good for the freezer. I’ve never seen any decent bucks about on the place across dozens of missions on that property, but last night I saw an absolute thumper - pretty comfortably the best fallow head I’ve seen, but still in velvet and still appeared soft… so for the first time ever, I walked away from it.. yep go me..

Anyway I’m not just here to gloat, when do you fellas reckon I’ll be safe to go back and bowl him over in hard antler? Located North Otago ish

Cheers

Later than reds so I would wait until into March. My experience with the big one I shot was that he didn't rut too far away from where he grew his velvet.

Its times like this, you can call yourself a hunter rather than a shooter. You could have but you chose not too. Its been said that fallow never travel any more than about 2.5km from where they were born. Thats one of the reasons people like to introduce them to their private hunting area's, cos theres a good chance they will stick around. Best time to do that is now, when theyre in velvet. Keep watching over the next month or so and you should be able to work out his area and his routine. Then when the time is right, take him. Looking forward to an update post and pictures.

It's an interesting point you raise. A property I used to hunt said that they never got any stags. When I first went there I hunted a few times with the camera and didn't shoot the first thing I saw. The owners were amazed at the number of deer and stags that I saw.

If he really is a thumper, and you have sole access, maybe leave him until after the rut? Then he can pass on his thumper genes.
(Isn't Thumper the rabbit from Bambi?)

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Difference between ethical hunters and poachers, Good on you. I hope you meet him again when he is all grown up and have some offsprings on the way.

If he's good he will be four at least. Five maybe. He has well spread his genes already.

10/10 for letting him go.
The buzz from letting an animal go is often a lot greater than knocking it over.Attachment 241501