World Record Red Stag 2011

[jake_franklin]

This was taken last year on the south island at Spey Creek Trophy Hunts.
Pretty incredible animal.
It is the new #1 in the world!
640 sci

[slanttop357]

HOLY CRAP thats unreel.

[solus]

:jaw-drop:

[Glass eye]

HOLY CRAP thats unreel.
You're right, it is unreal. Literally.
Foreigners have the concept that giant stags are running amok in NZ. Although red deer are the most common and numerous deer in NZ, the wild ones do not come nowheres close to the giant proportions that are depicted in magazines and videos.
Those giants are pen-raised, pumped full of steroids and turned loose on private ranches just prior to the hunter's arrival. Not really a hunt. A 6x6 or 7x7 taken on public land is a genuine trophy.

[slanttop357]

You're right, it is unreal. Literally.
Foreigners have the concept that giant stags are running amok in NZ. Although red deer are the most common and numerous deer in NZ, the wild ones do not come nowheres close to the giant proportions that are depicted in magazines and videos.
Those giants are pen-raised, pumped full of steroids and turned loose on private ranches just prior to the hunter's arrival. Not really a hunt. A 6x6 or 7x7 taken on public land is a genuine trophy. OK i take that back. Holly $hit that ain't right.

[TonyS]

Like whitetails, huh Glasseye?

[Glass eye]

Like whitetails, huh Glasseye?
Depends. If you're talking about pen-raised whitetails that are fed steroids and other crap to grow freakishly huge antlers and then released on private property just prior to the "hunter's" arrival, then yes, just like some whitetails.

[DuckFever]

Probably horrible eating anyway... I'll take a 2x2 any day over that. Tender meat > stringy, tough, old meat.

[asaxon]

Since the Admiral is from NZ, I thought I'd check on this. The outfitter where this animal came from has 3000 acres in the S. Is. They say they have 300 red stag available to harvest which means they must have a lot more animals on the property. While I don't know about "Those giants are pen-raised, pumped full of steroids and turned loose on private ranches just prior to the hunter's arrival.", they certainly are captive herds that are bred for large racks and you pay for the size of the trophy animal by the size class (silver, gold, platinum) before the hunt. It is trophy harvesting. Last time I checked when I was in NZ, the going price for platinum animals was well over 30K. Yekes! As noted, the ones in the wild are more typical in their size and antlers. FYI, one of the reasons there are no wild (ferrel) elk NZ is that the Admiral's uncle, Bill Axbey spent many years after WWII as NZ government Dept Game & Fisheries officer where his job was to kill the elk (Wapiti) in the fiordland. He became a rather well known F&G officer, wrote several books on hunting including one on his elk adventures and even took the Queen Mother (not the Queen but the Queen Mother) fishing decades ago. Bill is dead but most older generation NZ hunters/outfitters either knew him or know the name.

[Glass eye]

I heard it from a kiwi who worked on a game ranch and he said he had a stag follow him back to the pens after being turned loose. I suppose all don't operate the same but if those animals are worth that much money, why would you turn it loose any sooner than you have to and run the risk of it making its way onto crown land (public land) where someone can kill it for free ?

[spectr17]

Like whitetails, huh Glasseye?

Yup, them "wild" whitetails is chowing down on all the same corn and mineral licks the cows are using in IL, IA and IL. White acorns is about the only thing I've seen them pull of the other stuff for.

[asaxon]

By chance, the Admiral just sent me a picture of some deer in a paddock near Mount Hutt on the S. Is. of New Zealand. 70115

[palladin]

Holy Frejoles! What a picture...

[gbp]

i believe that ranches that market hunting in new zealand are required to be "High Fenced" this is not to say they are not fair chase (per their definition) as many of the ranches are quite large.
Many trophy animals there and priced accordingly
there are also a lot of ranchers that raise stag for sale to european restaurants and some that harvest the antlers during the velvet stage to dale to oriental markets as an aphrodisiac,

[Land Cruiser]

By chance, the Admiral just sent me a picture of some deer in a paddock near Mount Hutt on the S. Is. of New Zealand. 70115

Although I am looking on my phone, I am unable to see any bucks in this picture:) Looks a lot like CA:D

[Brush Hunter]

I saw a stag hunt take place in spain. It looked like an awesome hunt. Does anyone know if the Spanish follow similar game management practices as that of NZ?