Thread: Last-minute trip pays off

Awesome effort. I think half of CHCH frequents that spot.

With a young daughter at home my hunting time has become very limited. I often walk up to the tops in the wee hours of the morning to be there at first light and home by 11:00am. Almost always see deer.

Were the tips of the top tines hard? If so then go back and grab him and strip the remainder of the velvet.

Originally Posted by Hayden C

Awesome effort. I think half of CHCH frequents that spot.

Were the tips of the top tines hard? If so then go back and grab him and strip the remainder of the velvet.

Ha! Yeah, judging by the comments on this thread, I'm beginning to think you're right. Not really surprising, although I've never seen anyone else up there, and only ever met 2 other hunters on the main walking track.

Yep, the tips were hard. I might need to earn some more brownie points before I can head back up to grab it though! Hopefully the pigs don't ruin it in the meantime...

Just ' leave for work' at 4am and grab the head on the way.
I would doubt that the tips were really hard on the tops because the brows are not really pointed / hardened off and they turn first.
There is a rapid change and calcification due to decreasing daylength from Jan 15th on.
I expect that the head is salvageable But, it will need to be dried quickly. So it would have been best hung right way up in a tree. That way blood would drain from the antlers and they would dry. Get it quick and it will be Ok and expect to be greeted by maggots in the skull. Your choice how you transport it, but probably best not ' old school' on your shoulders !

Good work