Thread: Should I have shot this Deer?

ooooo touchy subject Lad..... but kudos for putting it out there!

from my fairly extensive ongoing looking right into it all theory, typically speaking -- the general gist from what ive picked up by many but also some notable KIWIS are that Stags are hard to tell their "potential " until they have been given many ? 4+ maybe more some species years to even start to get an idea of what it may peak into- il note FWF for their info an effort* non affiliate.

the flip side is with Population control, speaking in higher populated areas, The Hinds Must be shot first over the Male if given the opertunity-- but say you are meat hunting an a almost mature velvet stag an a spike pop up side by side, I would like to hope everyone would shoot the Spike and heres Why.
That Spiker is 7? 8? years from his prime......
Your right now is in that Velvet Stags lifetime and if Not possibly Your Son or close friends hunting lifetime.... wouldnt you like to hear about His or Hers Fantastic Hunt when they got their MASSIVE deer - which coincidently happened to be in the same valley, similiar spot, 2? 3 ? years later - if not this past season - Because Not only YOU, but Tom, John, Rod an Derek all seen it in velvet, respected the animal for what it is, will be, IS... can be, an possibly will be when the times right an the lucky hunter strikes it?? (similiar to how FWF is co ord its future)


Everyone, an i mean Every single one (of You) I've ever spoke to has at one point expressed their total interest in that "Biggest Deer" per say- whatever the species-
Yet there is outweighed by the guys who hunt in summer for easy picking on velvet stags? an guys who spotlight fringe country an a spotlight never passes up a stag-
there is a mentality of IF i dont shoot it Now, Someone Else will... may ring true in some parts of kiwi but back country is tough with meat trade helis aswell i understand..(vic only faced with several year onslaught if brown it down in remote national park currently)

I think if everyone just thought a bit more about "when an where" - am i meat hunting - am i trophy hunting - can i re plan a hunt for it- do i need to kill it- with a "Stag" kept in high regard sort of ensures there is a prize out there an youre all not hunting ruahinie spec deer with a 1 in ?00000 chance of a true 1940s Otago or 50s Rakia head... at the end of the day, its the same blood still....

to close out, ive also said that every Hind you pass up (sambar) will breed an be 3 ? deer by the time you catch up to her again.. so you wack the girls and they cant breed ?
you wack a male, one walks in literally days later. she breeds.

anyway whatever.

hooroo

PS- edit-- i am guilty as sin for being a young greenhorn an a bit blase if you will... alot of potential deer shot in that 'name of pest control' when numbers were high. to be honest the fires an damage it done on its own, seeing the deer in strife, changed me life- so your mileage will vary dramatically**