Wendell

If it was me I would tag the best male and put him off limits for hunting. Until he was 9 to 12 years of age, or his antlers started to go back. Put a high price on him as well. With good feed and good genetics he may just turn out spectacular.

I wouldn't think a death from fighting is that likely in a large paddock such as you have especially if one stag is clearly dominant. If the other stags, through hunting end up being a few years younger, while he is in his prime he will dominate most of the hinds, with the others on the periphery.

To have a good look at the stags (and find them) the best time would be in the roar when they get a little silly. If it was me I wouldn't allow hunting then, make the client work a little harder for one.

Your 1000 acres sounds like it will be a magnificent little reserve. I bet you can't wait to see the big boys running around out there.

Anything else wild running there - other than cows ?

PS How are transporting red deer stags in January ie in hard antler ? That should be some "fun" unless they are in individual crates.

I think I only have one cow on the ranch. I have never seen him, but I have seen tracks and patties. He may have escaped just before I closed the gates for good.

I do not know how it will be transporting Stags in hard antler. The ones I am getting are younger, and most of their points are broken off. They look pretty sad. But they will recover just fine. They have just been fighting a lot.

Ironically this guys "next" brood stag was killed in a fight. He was nice, about 10x12 at 4 years old. I saw the carcass soon after the fight. Too bad. The guy was quite upset.

If I find on with real potential, I do plan on trying to keep him alive for as long as possible. A high price tag wouldn't hurt ... even if someone shot him!

Thank again for the info and tips.

Keep us updated on your progress. I never knew stags fought that much.

I'd love to come hunt them in a few years, with a guide who shares my last name

Luckily he is not too far from my ranch. He can haul two at a time in separate "stalls" in his trailer. I am only getting four stags now. So two trips is not that big of a deal.

We got four hinds in on Friday, that is all they could catch that day. We will try to catch more on Thursday this week. It is pretty exciting seeing them around the ranch after they were released.

I will keep everyone posted as to the development of the Stags next year. I am pretty excited to see how they do "in the wild" so to speak.

Thanks for the advice.

Very sorry to hear it. I guess that is one of the "joys" of deer farming. You get to see some give birth, you have to see some die.

I was raised on a horse farm. I got to see the way life really was by watching animals give birth, live and die. It never was fair... just like life.

Sorry to hear about your Fallow.

Came around the corner in one of the fields to be greeted by this. A pleasant surprise. Happened to have a camera with me.



It seems that I may have lost one. I bought 10 but I only find 9. I had seen them a few times over the last week and there are always only 9 of them.

I was on my way to look for my Axis. Still can't say I have seen any except the one who looked like she was trying to die. I believe she was giving birth.

I had what is likely my only chance for a red deer stag yesterday. He was standing in my hay meadow about 100 yards from me and my truck which had my .308 in it. I thought he might belong to an area neighbor so I didn't shoot. Turns out he didn't and is now gone. Drat, I doubt I'll see him again, but if so, he is steaks.

Wendell,

Sounds like everything is coming on nicely. Do you have any plans to introduce Sika on the ground? If so, beware certain strains can cross with Reds with all sorts of problems...

Regards,

Pete

Well, I had plans of getting Sika at one time, but now I am not sure. I didn't know they could cross! Interesting.

Which strain will cross?

Gato,

Shoot first ask questions later!

Ok, that was the neighborly thing to do. But I hope you get him if you see him again.

Wendell,

The spread of Sika in the Scottish Highlands is a huge problem as far as hybredisation goes. Some folks predict that with the current spread in 20 years there will be no pure Reds up there other than on the various Islands.

Over in Ireland where Sika were also introduced about the same time, I believe there is very little cross breeding.

I am not sure that the situation is fully understood or clear cut as there is still some debate as to what strains of Sika were originally released/escaped where and when..

I will do some reading and get back to you. Other wiseyou might want to do a search on:

http://www.deer-uk.com or http://www.bds.org.uk

Regards,

Pete

Wendell.

As Pete mentions, hybridization of Sika and Red has proved a real problem here in the UK. The major incidence appearing in the north. This doubtless due to the geographical separation of Sika and Red populations here in the South West.

Hybridization appears in the UK between the Japanese Sika (Cervus Nipon Nipon) and our own Red Deer (Cervus Elaphus). It seems limited to the Sika stags covering the Red Hinds rather than vice versa. The other Sika species (Manchurian and Formosan) are not commonly found wild in the UK.

A major problem is the difficulty in identifying and culling hybrids - whilst some are very clear crosses, others will appear to be full blood Red. The difference sometimes only being identifiable as a DNA marker. It is felt that the situation is now beyond control as a result. This could mean that 'pure' Red Deer are now only to be found in some island populations and in the South West of the UK.

Problems associated with the incidence of hybridization include reduced carcass weights and inferior antler growth - let alone the danger of losing a pure blood species.

Rgds Ian

Ian,

Due you know what the situation is in Southern Ireland? I believe Sika were introduced into a large park (can't remember the name at present..)in the late 1800's where Reds were already present, but there has been little if any cross breeding in contrast to Scotland.

Another interesting theory I have heard is the Jap Sika are not "pure" Sika at all but a result of very early Japanese deer farmimg/breeding programes and this makes them more prone to interbreeding today...

Regards,

Pete

Pete
You are good! Yes, as far as I am aware the Irish Sika population descends from 1x Stag and 3x Hinds introduced by Lord Powerscourt to his estate in Fermanagh in 1860.

Today the main herds of wild Sika deer are concentrated in Kerry, Wicklow,Tyrone and Fermanagh with some establishing herds in Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Cork and Donegal.

Sika deer and our native Red Deer are of the same genus Cervus and can interbreed. The resulting hybrids are also fertile, this is a major concern in preserving the genetic purity of both Red and Sika. There is a disagreement as to whether interbreeding only occurs in captive (penned or park) mixed herds. Interbreeding in the wild is certainly rare.

Many believe that the Red and Sika herds of Killarney are still genetically pure, however most Sika-like deer in Leinster have some 'Red' blood.

http://www.wilddeerireland.com/Species_sika.html provides most of this information - but no explanation for the differing hybridization experiences between Ireland and Scotland

rgds Ian

Ian,

Although various people with vested interests are deploring the current Red /Sika situation due to hybridisation, I don't see much mention of other deliberate attempts to "corrupt" the red deer gene pool with the release of North American Elk which also occured i think in the late 1800's.

I know the introduction was on a relatively small scale, but there again so was the original release of Sika in Ireland! For what ever reason the Elk introduction seems have been a complete failure and it is of course now realized that poor weather conditions and poor habitat are the real limiting factors to increasing body weight and trophy size in Scotland.

Regards,

Pete

Ian,

Just another thought...did you read that article in Stalking Magazine a while back by Peter Carne concerning the various deer species which either have been, or alledged to have been released in the UK? Apart from the usual suspects, it seems there have been reports of Whitetail, Axis, Persian Fallow (if I recall correctly) and even one supposed sighting by some one in the FC of a Siberian Roe although Peter pretty much discounts that one!

Regards,

Pete