Hi All,

Had a good evening on Friday. I took a freind out that I had promised a bit of stalking to for a while and the result was a couple of cull bucks.

We seem to be running alive with them at the moment and I've taken on two more stalking leases in as many weeks. There was a third in the back of my car from one of the new areas, and it seemed that everywhere I went I was seeing deer. A lot of Does on the new patch which explains where my bigger bucks go during the rut!!

As Pete has been telling me for ages I think I need to get some chiller action sorted as I could have got another two outings over the weekend but can't handle any more carcasses.



Rgds,
FB

Howdy,
In your management regime, what constitutes a "Cull Buck"
I manage quite a big herd of Fallow myself.We cull to keep numbers down and improve trophy quality. Mainly I cull females to control numbers, and give bucks 3-4 years to show any promise. Then cull on antler appearance.
I used to also cull the deformed antlers. (Have slowed this down, as there seems to be a demand from Europeon hunters for this style of trophy.)
The bucks you've shot in the pictures seem quite young, Spikes?
Is this the age you cull them at, or were these just poorer types?

Well done and good shooting by your mate!

quote:

Originally posted by TrackersNZ:
Howdy,
In your management regime, what constitutes a "Cull Buck"
I manage quite a big herd of Fallow myself.We cull to keep numbers down and improve trophy quality. Mainly I cull females to control numbers, and give bucks 3-4 years to show any promise. Then cull on antler appearance.
I used to also cull the deformed antlers. (Have slowed this down, as there seems to be a demand from Europeon hunters for this style of trophy.)
The bucks you've shot in the pictures seem quite young, Spikes?
Is this the age you cull them at, or were these just poorer types?

Hi Trackers,

I tend to shoot any young bucks on sight over my land. The buck on the left was a 1 year old and the one on the right was a 2YO (05's Fawn I would think). The Third Buck I shot was a 3YO I estimated, as it had a significantl;y bigger body but the same buttons on top.

I tend to take the view that if a yearling has no spikes as it's first head then it will never develop into anything special. As such they get put into the sausage machine. If I come accross yearlings with say a 5"-6" I will usually leave them in preference of another beast If I can.

At the bigger end of the spectrum, the bbucks that are fishtailed or old and going back occasionally get added to the cull.

I don't shoot many does on my ground as I don't have many about. From Novemeber onwards they seem to move off the ground, but I believe that the new patch is where they go to so I'm planning on shooting a few this year. Given the choice in a group I still shoot bucks. The farmer still sees a carcass at the end of it and I ensure my stalking...

I rarely shoot anything good enough to go on the wall. The best buck I shot was lame when I came across him hence his place in the conservatory!!

This year we seem to have a huge number about even though we have been shooting the pheasants since last month. I'm looking forward to a good season.

Rgds,
FB

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:

[ I'm looking forward to a good season.

You just killed it with that line!

Glad to hear you're having success.

Good job, great report..

I was out this past weekend to, will post pics.

/C

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:

quote:

Originally posted by Fallow Buck:

[ I'm looking forward to a good season.

You just killed it with that line!

Glad to hear you're having success.

Hey mate,

It did cross my mind as I typed that line!!

To be honest it's nice to be gettig some results as I was struggling to find deer for a while.

Rgds,
FB