Thread: Stags and Bucks 2025

Ponder this next time you think your going to improve the gene pool. How many stags were/ have EVER been imported into New Zealand??? Discounting escapee genetics,what's out there shares a lot of same DNA regardless of what we do. Feed n age.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Ponder this next time you think your going to improve the gene pool. How many stags were/ have EVER been imported into New Zealand??? Discounting escapee genetics,what's out there shares a lot of same DNA regardless of what we do. Feed n age.

The sika herd is a great example.
Whole present day herd started from six deer

great subject really a number of areas will have benefitted from new blood from escapees but mainly red and fallow populations - but new blood - well imagine if the crown wapiti herd were released back into Fiordland - that would do a lot of good - I hear a moan that elk bloodlines from America have been bought into that crown herd - I would see that as a good thing - fallow Wanganui has suffered from poor genetics for a long time - new blood is about but not enough -there has been some releasing of better fallow genetics- a lot of releasing has gone on in Taranaki of fallow and generally good bloodlines - should see some better heads coming out - but sadly there are bloody idiots to I have heard of wapiti cross being released down Waverly way - stupid idea- stuffs up the local red population if say a young hunter wanted to enter the head in any competition - but then many of our deer populations have started from very small numbers - sika sambar rusa white tail - the only new blood in has been red elk and fallow

"Improving the gene pool" is just my excuse for not being able to find anything better.

Some nice heads on display here. Not trying to take anyone's pride away from their kill but some people need to learn how to age the animals they're hunting. Some very young animals being 'culled' in these threads lately. We've all been there and I'm no exception.

Here's a link to an aging guide

https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/n...-ageing-guide/

Originally Posted by TimC

Some nice heads on display here. Not trying to take anyone's pride away from their kill but some people need to learn how to age the animals they're hunting. Some very young animals being 'culled' in these threads lately. We've all been there and I'm no exception.

Here's a link to an aging guide

https://nzgameanimalcouncil.org.nz/n...-ageing-guide/

Good idea, save the older ones for 1080 and WARO

Originally Posted by caberslash

Good idea, save the older ones for 1080 and WARO

I bet you're also the type to whinge that there's no big mature heads to take as waro and 1080 have taken them all

A 2 yr old with a even 8 points.He must have lived in a farmers paddock of fodabet and had a hay barn to sleep in.

I'm with Big bear, discussion for another thread.

Well done @Tasbay post up as many of those photos as you like

Any animal shot with homemade powder and a 50cal ball is a trophy regardless of its size, type, age or orientation.

I would love to watch that happen.
Super cool





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Originally Posted by kukuwai

I'm with Big bear, discussion for another thread.

Well done @Tasbay post up as many of those photos as you like

Any animal shot with homemade powder and a 50cal ball is a trophy regardless of its size, type, age or orientation.

I would love to watch that happen.
Super cool





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Thanks Kukuwai. I`m in general a meat shooter, don`t really care for Trophy shooting and I`m no good at ageing animals. I do on the other hand like stalking in close and with a one-shot Muzzleloader it`s a challenge. I have little respect for shooters with long range rifle rigs and no stalking ability. I've taken a bit of crap here for posting that photo, but then I knew I would.

No hate from me, I think that's bloody awesome.

Awesome

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I'd be fizzing too!

Well done young fella, what a lovely shape on that head.

That’s a excellent stag well done , I think anybody would be fizzing if they took that big boy.