I hunted Red Stag in Argentina a couple years ago. They were completely free range. It was a great, enjoyable hunt, not a gimmie. I held out for a big one, passed several nice ones. I don't know the score, as I don't measure animals, but I was told it is "Gold Medal, easy". And that was after the fact, not before. At any rate, it was a good hunt, purely fair chase with good animals. Everything was first class--and a lot more economical than New Zealand. Incidently, I believe you'll find that all those huge Stags in NZ are behind wire, NOT free ranging at all. Cost was right at $4000 inclusive and included choice of a boar or a Blackbuck.

Ron, I�m forwarding to you in a P.M. a picture of a good Argentine one. Unfortunately I can�t upload the image to Hunt101 due to its size. I guess this is 200-plus C.I.C. but can�t convert to S.C.I. points.
Regards and congratulations on your good hunting here

Ron, it really all depends on what type of hunt you want and whether the trophy size or hunting experience is more of your priority. New Zealnd probably has the largest stags if you are looking for big trophy quality. But the hunt for the red stag in New Zealand is not much to talk about as far as an experience. I book plenty of red stags in new zealand with one of the best outfitters there, and it all depends on how much money you want to spend and how big of a stag you want. But the hunting takes place on around 20,000 acres, which can make the hunt a little challenging and you probably would have a great hunt.

But if you want the best experience with good quality average size stag, then Argentina is the best place to go as it is all Free Range with no fences at all. They guy I work with for the Argentina Stags has the exclusive hunting rights and full quota for the Turner ranch there and it is a great hunt. You will pay $7,500 (2004) for a 7-day stag hunt which includes 1 trophy stag and 1 managment stag, and you will hunt them in free range and during the roar which makes it very exciting. The lodge is luxury first class etc. as you would expect from a Turner ranch.

So, if you want the best experience then Argentina, and if you want the biggest stag, then New Zealand. Hope this will be of help to you. I would be more than happy to send you pictures from both New Zealand and Argentina if you wish.

I know that this is the African Hunting Forum. I posted this in the New Zealand Forum but I thought that there might be some of you here that have an opinion about where to hunt Red Stag.

I have heard that some of the best Red Stag come from New Zealand. I would like to get some more information/opinions from those of you who live there. I understand that in New Zealand there are free range Red Stag hunting and that there are high fenced Red Stag operations. I would like to hear your thoughts on the pros/cons of each.

The overall experience of the hunt is as important to me as the quality of the animal taken. I see these ads with pictures of 350-400 SCI class Red Stag but I do not know if these animals were raised by hand and then put into the back pasture the night before the hunt. I would like a real hunt for Red Stag with a chance at a 300-350 SCI class animal. To hunt with a gun or bow would be fine.

I have bow hunted behind an 80,000 acre high fenced ranch in Namibia and never saw the fence except for the first day I entered the ranch and the final day that I left. I do not think that it affected the overall experience of my plainsgame bow hunt as it was such a large property.

I have also heard that large free range Stag are being taken in Chile with Paco Riestra. Does anyone know anything about good Stag in Chile or Argentina?

If you could, would someone please post some pictures of Red Stags that they have taken and approximate score?

How large is a 7 KG rack? I have had a hunt described to me where a minimum of 7 KG rack was mentioned.

Thanks for any info.

Ron L