What a Beauty

Some of you on the forum will remember the Big Sambar stag we were following on the trail camera's we called PD. This year he never turned up into his rutting grounds and we later heard from Phil Chammers ( author of the new book Sambar and Rusa and official DS scorer for the NZDA) that PD had been shot. We seen pictures of the animal after he was taken and the antlers looked very similar to PD's. He was poached most likely spotlighted and DS was 208 which was much smaller than we had thought. PD was a smaller bodied stag and this made his antlers look much bigger. We now think that he may have had more Rusa blood in him than Sambar something we will never know now.Attachment 147257

Over the last three odd years we have been following a very nice Red Stag which has had up to 17 points(this year he is a 14 pointer) with a distinct drop tine on his right side. Last year I had a shot Attachment 147262Attachment 147263Attachment 147264a big stag running which I believed to be him but missed. We have been picking him up semi regularly on the camera's and last week we got some neat footage and still pic's. He is hanging out with a couple of runty stags at the moment and was doing a lot of sparring which I think he is trying to knock his antlers off as that is due to happen anytime now. This stag is a beauty, a real character type animal, only hope when he drops his antlers he isn't shot by spot lighters or doggers who operate in the forest from time to time.Attachment 147260

If that red had 17 points wouldn't it be high time he gets clapped?

I thought when they go down in points they are old and going down hill

Nice pictures !

This stag ranges over quite a large area, the single picture of him was captured about 4 km's from where the other pictures were taken. I think if he gets a freight or is disturbed he vacates the area to a new spot which makes it hard to pattern him. He has been in the latest area a while so we are hoping he stays there but he is likely to drop his antlers anytime soon.
When he was a 17 he had several very small , about one inch points which didn't form this year, I think this year he has a better looking set of antlers. When you compare the body sizes in the pictures you can see he is a bigger older stag and he could start to go back in the antler department next year. Interestingly enough on another camera we got another stag but he had only nine points but a drop tine on his right side which would no doubt be one of his sons.

I dont think the red will score that high because the royals are short. In saying that the 'Windsor Throwback' makes it a very nice character head. He is in very good order for the time of year and could grow a great head this year

Shame about the Sambar/Rusa. If he was Rusa he was an absolute cracker.

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Originally Posted by trapperjohn

Shame about the Sambar/Rusa. If he was Rusa he was an absolute cracker.

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You are dead right he would have been well up in the score book as 160 DS and up gets into the records.

PD does look to be a Rusa in that last photo. Different in head shape esp. muzzle, body form and antler proportions to Sambar

Some absolutely stunning photos, well done.

Regards.
Les.

I am far from an expert in these matters, but if someone had showed me those pics and asked for species I would have said rusa. Great pics and thread, thanks.

No Sambar for sure
Great pics
Did you get Video clips also

Yes some really good video. Sort of think the stags are trying to rid themselves of there antlers, hence the sparring, although they do that anytime during hard antler.

seriously impressive !

PD has "some" Rusa blood in it alright....................... a whollllle lot of it!

looks very impressive without any doubt, but not a True Sambar by any glance..... :)

brown,

skinny, thin chest, long neck no mane , skinny snout small ears...... :) beauty rusa but, did they score it as a sambar? interesting, if anything should be a hybrid classed score, 208 isnt really big for rusas? but its starting to get close to up there for Sambars.

good stuff.

I think PD was/is a magnificent Rusa stag, great photos Mooseman, thank you for sharing them !

Rees 208Ds is a monster for a NZ Rusa, book score is 160Ds , when you think 200Ds is a Fainting Sika head & book is 170Ds & this Rusa was closer to 210Ds than 200Ds with only six points not 8 points !

If he was full Sambar 208Ds is still a very good head .

I hope who ever shot PD appreciates what they got ?

I heard a massive sambar was shot in the Bay a couple of weeks ago but was thought to be a rusa. Wonder if this is the same stag. Was shot on private land

PD was shot quite a while back , the one you mention shot in BOP was most likely a Sambar and most likely shot on Sisams property. This property operates trophy Sambar hunts. As I mentioned earlier PHIL Chammers who measured PD and told us about him being shot talks about the way he scores the two in his book New Zealand's Sambar and Rusa Deer. If the skull length is 14.5 inches or below it is classed as a Rusa, 15 inches and above it is Sambar, the .5 inch between the two is a grey area and there are other check points he uses to determine the species.

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Originally Posted by Mooseman

PD was shot quite a while back , the one you mention shot in BOP was most likely a Sambar and most likely shot on Sisams property. This property operates trophy Sambar hunts. As I mentioned earlier PHIL Chammers who measured PD and told us about him being shot talks about the way he scores the two in his book New Zealand's Sambar and Rusa Deer. If the skull length is 14.5 inches or below it is classed as a Rusa, 15 inches and above it is Sambar, the .5 inch between the two is a grey area and there are other check points he uses to determine the species.

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Yes it was shot on sisams. Huge animal by all accounts but sounds like it is being scored as a rusa. Will be getting updates from my friend

Thought it would have been, there is Rusa blood coming in from the Whakatane River side moving westward so this animal must show a lot of Rusa characteristics. Whatever way you look at it it will be a damn good head either Sambar or Rusa.