Just a quick one to see if any one out there knows anything about Muntjac
always looking to enharnse my knowledge on such deer
All comments appreciated
ATB
Richard

Is that the little fanged deer? If so, shoot one for me. We saw one when I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford, not far from Oxford (gorgeous country and great people). We were driving home after a night at a local pub and I, the passenger, spotted one crossing the road -- I noticed it had mighty canines (fangs) and pointed that fact out to my compadres. By George, they laughed at me. Took me weeks to find a photo of one and redeem myself in their bloodshot eyes.

A mate says they were brought here cause some dude thought they'd be cute on the estate lawn, now 150 years later there's loads of 'em, they jump most any fence and do plenty of damage.
Getting to be a problem on the roads as well.
You can eat them they are not bad but I'm not too keen on it. Weigh about 60 pounds maybe?

Rich

Apart from all the usual 'lifestyle' stuff which can be easily found at http://www.bds.org.uk/muntjac.html the best thing about these little beasts has to be their willingness to come at the gallop to a Buttalo call!

Rgds Ian

Here's a nice Muntjac buck I shot in Woodstock (Oxfordshire) a few years ago.

A foreleg makes a nice Pot Roast for two.
A hindleg will just stretch to four.
Dry so either potroast or foil wrap.
If you are feeling adventurous, bone and stuff with apricots or blackberries, wrap in parma ham, roast in a tray and make a red wine or port gravy to accompany.

Firsat round Ingredients,

One whole head/neck shot muntie
A bag of Caul fat
Harrissa

Rub the whole beast with Harrissa, wrap in caul and put it on a spit. Cook for 5 hours on a low coal heat. Indirect heat only.

Second round ingredients includ a a couple of mates with an appetite willing to hang around for 5 hours , talk shooting and fishing and occasionally do some of the serious stuff, (prod a coal or two). You will also need a cool box, bag of ice and case or two of beers.

I'll let you work out how to combine the two, but if anyone would like a demonstration perhaps we need to get a hunting party together!!

Rgds,
FB

Dave and Kiri,
Let the recipes start flowing, I just took a leg of Muntjac out of the freezer and will put it on the grill tomorrow

quote:

Originally posted by Andre Mertens:
Here's a nice Muntjac buck I shot in Woodstock (Oxfordshire) a few years ago.

nice buck

this is more of the theme i was going on
the diference between munties in other areas
like the weights , colour variations ,breeding patterns, antler configurations etc etc
notice the tail


the short rounded ears, facial markings


yearling buck next to the stag


things seem to be evovling a little but not by much
i hav noticed some deer are starting to produce a blade type antler configuration where as others are more round in appearance
round confiruration





these are starting to blade up


and weights are getting slightly heaveir too not by much, i once shot a buck that went 35 lbs clean with a small head
and of late i hav seen pics and skulls of mis shaped bucks upto 7 points
in both rounded and blade type antlers configurations
any one else noticing these changes at all
ATB
Richard

quote:

Originally posted by solvi:
Dave and Kiri,
Let the recipes start flowing, I just took a leg of Muntjac out of the freezer and will put it on the grill tomorrow

Solvi, I'm surprised you've got any Munty left! It must have been a good Puffin season for you ;o)
If we do another Baldock meet, we'll have to see if we can get Kiri out of the kitchen long enough to try a venison cookery competition among those attending.
Either that or just go for the full-on whole roast beast as he suggests?

Rub some Sea salt, Mace, Ground Black Pepper, Hungarian Paprika and honey into that leg before you roast. Soaking overnight in salty water will make it more moist inside.

Great pics Richard

Do you think they are adapting to the British climate more? More regional variation than previously?

Very tempting

I have some unfinished business with a few muntjac (as my "PH" Jo can confirme).
So I for one, hope for another Baldoc bash next year to try to settle the score

quote:

Originally posted by Boghossian:
Great pics Richard

Do you think they are adapting to the British climate more? More regional variation than previously?

Gabriel
i hav no idea
over the last 20 years i hav seen and shot many muntjac but only in the last 5 or so years hav i noticed a change
i hav witnessed twins and only earlier this year , did a do a gralloch where i found 3 feotous
never really knew the signifacances of that till it was to late, so no pics
still kicking myself now
late nights and early mornings played their part i'm afraid
are our muntjac creating their own sub species with in them selves and self imposed breeding pattern as i hav noticed an increase of rutting behaviour across the country in certain months
just troubled to work out a pattern as yet