i just became aware of these animals a couple weeks ago. have any of you hunted them here in the states? i was able to see 2 of them in southern Oklahoma and they are really big. i would guess somewhere around 400 pounds or maybe more. the guy i was talking to said they are sometime called red stags or red elk. just curious if anyone has hunted them. if so, what did you use and what were your results?

Hey Bill,
i can�t give u any informations about the american red deers , because i never have been to the states, but overhere in europe we do have red�s too, on which i�ve already had hunted.
The weight and the class of the trophy of the red�s varies by the line of blood. For examples the red�s in hungary are known for there good trophies. They build verry good antlers (by weight and by the points of their antlers).
For example the stag�s in scotland are good when they have 10 point�s, but these stag�s don�t have the massive and strong antlers, compared to germany, poland or hungary.
The question of the caliber;
- I know an old polish (from poland..is polish the right word??) F�rster who takes all of his red�s with a 7mm Mauser ( 7*57) for over 20yeras now, and he feels no need to use anythinger bigger. Because was a guide for hunters from France too, during the last 20years. he told me whith which big guns the france hunters arrive to hunt on red�s, he thinks that they all are crazy. Because most of them failed the game......but for my opinion it�s not a question of caliber more a question of hunting and shooting skills...
For me the minimum caliber would be a .30-06 Springfield. Because a lot of hunting by us in germany is done in the forest where is no need for far shot�s ,my first choice is my 9,3*74R . Even more if i would go on a hunting trip outside of germany to chechoslowakia, poland or hungary. Why? Because in most of these countries the hunters don�t have hunting dog�s who will search for shooten game, all the search�s are done by the hunters themselves. And a lot of game is not found, because the skill�s of human compared to dog�s are more than just bad.
In scotland most of the Hunters use a .270Win . Because the shooting distance is up to 300m and the weight of the stag�s is about ma. 150 KG.
I think everything upon the .30-06 will be doing the job just fine.
Red�s are normally not hard to kill-regarding the question, how much they can take before they drop-( how is the correct english expression?)
by the way: the red�s skill�s in looking is superb, even in listening. Not compareable to roe�s or fallows...
I�m looking for a link in english to send u...........ah here�s one:
www.deer-uk.com/red_deer.htm
Don�t miss to hear www.deer-uk.com/deer_Sounds.htm a stag during the rod.
I had the chance to see and hear this "live". It�s something i will never ever forget.
So if you like to shoot a stag,...do it during the rod-when the stag�s are roar...you will get one of the finest hunting experiences ever! Believe me!
Hope that my given information will help u,
good luck
and Waidmannsheil
konstantin

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I've hunted stag in the Steigerwald near Frankfurt Germany and in the mountains around Wendelstein during the rut or "Brunftzeit". The bulls roar a big deep bellow instead of the Wapiti's high pitched cry. I used a .270 and took a 1B Hirsch that weighed around 140 kilos (nearly 300 lbs) and a big cow. Used a .270 with Remington Powerpoints. They are not as tough to kill or big bodied as American elk.
You simply don't see the belted magnums in the hunting guns carried by Europeans. I'm sure there are a few. But by and large you see lots of 7x57s, 8x57s, some 30-06 and 308s, and a smattering of some of the more popular and obscure european medium european calibers. Last time I was in Frankonia Jagd in Wurzburg I don't think I saw a single beleted magnum on the rack among a very extensive offering of guns.

I hate to disagree with you Kentucky but in Belgium and in France, where .308, .30-06, 8x57 JS are termed military calibers and submitted to lots of red tape, the .300 Win Mag, 7RM are as popular as the 9,3's. Truth is we do a lot of our hunting, driving with hounds and running shots are the rule.

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Andr�

Is a rhinejhort(spelling??) the same as a red deer in Sweden?? Thanks. GREG

I think the above posters have pretty much covered everything...All I would say is that there is a big variance in size in Red deer which is related to habitat. On the open Hill in Scotland a big mature stag will average around 200lb where as in the milder climate and better habitate of Southern England, a woodland Red stag might nearly double that.

As for rifles, a hell of a lot of people use .243's in the UK although I feel they are a touch on the light side. From 6.5x55 to
30-06 is the normal range with the .270 and the .308 being particularly popular. A lot of Europeans turn up with various medium bores and Magnums, but I think these reflect the larger species and the type of hunting they have at home.

Andre,
My experience is strictly limited to Germany and the UK. So I'm sure you are correct about the areas you mentioned. As a side note, I foxhunt on horses with red jackets and all (English style) and a member of our hunt actually went to France where they hunted Boar with spears!

I have hunted Red Deer in Texas (the Delta-P-Ranch near Giddings). It was a pre-rut situation, but my stag was running with the hinds even in early September. I managed to get him on a drive late in the afternoon (about 95*F (36*C). The stag was a 6X7 and scored 270 points and was WONDERFUL eating, better than fallow deer, eland or oryx. I'd definitely recommend this place to hunt - FYI it is a fenced operation, but there are NO feeders or blinds on the place, all hunts are spot and stalk or drives. Prices are reasonable.

PS I used a 7mm Rem mag w/ 160 grain noslers, but I saw another taken with a 6.5X55 using 140 grain Barnes XLC bullets

[This message has been edited by Long Pig (edited 03-25-2002).]

all: thanks for the information.

long pig: i searched the internet for this place and came up empty handed. how did you contact the Delta-P Ranch???

Bill

Have hunted red deer stag in both Australia and New Zealand, and so far have managed to take a nice "Royal" 12 pointer in NZ, and a nice 11 pointer in Oz. Space for more on the wall still.

Used a 30-06 for both animals and 150 gr Nosler Partitions. Stalked these stags. I don't consider hunting red stag with hounds particularly sporting. Though for culling that might be another thing.

Red stags can be taken with anything from the 243 with careful shots but a 264 or 270 is a better minimum.

Red deer are the European/North Asian species of Wapiti or North American "Elk" but are smaller in size and the antlers can develop more into "cupped" tines than the elk.

Lovely graceful animals and delicious gamey meat as well.

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John
alias Nitro

NitroExpress.com

Thank you for the post and the link for their sounds. It would be a wonderful moment indeed to hear them bellow from the mist of the woods and the sun began to peek through the canopy. Much the same thrill as elk bugeling during the rut. Just wonderful.

Bill, You forgot the second hyphen in the name.. It is the delta-p-ranch.com. Good luck. I also saw several red Deer at this place that would score WAY over 300 SCI. Prices ranged from $1500 to $3500. Red Deer make a fantastic trophy, great eating, and cost a LOT less than an elk