NitroX



I think the difference is the genetics of the deer in the two countries.



Although Fallow are not native to the UK, it is thought they were introduced by either the Normans or the Romans depending upon who you listen to. That means they have been here between 1000 to 2000 years, give or take.



As fallow were always popular beasts of the chase and favourites in deer parks, populations have been swapped or moved around the country.



One example is that of hunting "carted deer"...Basically a semi domesticated deer would be taken out in a horse box like cart and released for hunters to follow with hounds. The hounds were trained to bay the deer but not attack it. So after a few miles chase the deer would tire, the hounds would bay it and the huntsmen would "coral it" back into it cart and take it home for use again in another month or two. Apparently some deer would be almost "trained" to do this, after being run for many seasons.



When not hunting, the deer were apparently quartered near the hounds kennels so that they were used to each other! Anyway now and again, odd deer would escape being re captured and many local populations of fallow owe their origins to this.



Even today, fallow are moved from farm to farm and some escape in the process so the genes are a real mish mash.



That must be quite the opposite of your neck of the woods, where fallow are relatively recent arrivals and todays populations would have been the result of some quite restricted releases. Considering the terrain and sheer size of your country, i would imagine it was possible populations expanded almost in isolation to one another, hence the lack of genetic diversity and more even colour phases with in the populations.



Regards,



Pete

Same colour variations here.

Common also known as brown.

Menil are the prettiest colour with the coat being more reddish with distinct white spots.

White + Black also per PeteE's reply.

I don't agree with the same herd having all variations of colour. This is a genetic result of different herds being mixed at one time. But yes if managing a herd the appearance of the other colours is shot out if possible.

Most of our fallow here in SA is menil and has always been. But some common fallow exist as well. Many Tasmanian fallow are black plus the other three colours.

A target some guys have is to collect a trophy stag of each colour.

on one peice we stalk, we have a good pure white buck.

He really is something to look at, with a respectable head on him. My mate who runs the shoot there, told me to take him on the last two occasions I went out but he didn't present a shot. A couple of prickets did though so all was not lost!!!

It's striking just how white they are.

FB

Cunning!!!

Now is a white wooly fallow a sheep???

That could just confuse the issue....



FB

Just a question about using the skin as a carpent... I`ve been told to avoid to put it on the floor, because it will be "worn down" pretty quick..
So when my girlfriend wanted the zebra rug under the living room table, I was sceptic. Thought it was the best to keep it on the wall.
Any experience?
Thanks!

I got back yesterday after a few days on our lease in Scotland.



I drove up on Thursday after work and met a friend at Aberdeen airport on Friday afternoon and spent a great weekend trying to get him a Stag or a Roe buck. I think this was his first stalking strip in Scotland and I gather its a bit different to the "carpet slipper" stalking he has down South



He put 110% effort into the weekend, but apart from a fox, the hunting gods were against him. In all fairness, we don't get big numbers of Red in our forestry block, and it seems we were a bit early for the rut, although we did hear one stag calling in the distance. My mate put in a lot of foot work as we inspected virtually every wallow I know of in the block.



On the Sunday evening I did drop lucky and took the staggie below. The sucess was kind of bitter sweet as I really wish it had presented itself to my mate.



The Staggie was with two hinds and a calf and I suspect he was the same beast I had turned down on Friday morning whilst out on a recce prior to my friends arrival.







Gralloched and with his head and legs off, the beast weighed 68.5Kg, which is quite respectable for a young animal off our ground.



Regards,



Pete

Weidmannsheil Pete, sounds like you had a nice trip.
- mike

Pete, Has that chap got any sika in him?

Sounds like a nice few days Pete even though your mate didn't connect. Maybe this is a trend. You invite people to your lease and then shoot stuff for them . It's a small sample size (the fellow you took last weekend and me), but I think there's a trend starting All kidding aside it is a great spot to spend a few days.

Kernel

P.S. My trophies from Namibia are finally in the States and should be hanging on my wall before week's end. I can't wait to see them!!!

Deerdogs,

What makes you think that? I haven't heard of any Sika in the area, but as you know many supposedly pure Scottish Red populations have been found to have Sika genes in them when tested.

Kernel,

It's actually worse than that! On the Sunday evening I suggested that as there was not a breath of air and the heather under foot was bone dry & crunchy, we might have more luck in a highseat. I steered him towards one with a very active red deer rack passing infront of it, and said I would sit in another not too far away which I considered less promising.

As you can guess from the picture, I dropped lucky and my mate did not see a thing! I actually shot that beast as I stalked into the highseat. They were out in a clearing that we had driven past only 15 minutes before and was empty..

Make sure you post some pics of those trophies when they arrive! I bet you are saving up from your next trip already!

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

Not trying to sabatoge your thread here, but if I don't do it here I won't remember (old age you know). Anyway, here are a couple shots of me with critters:

Shot this bugger from the top of the hill behind me. It fell where it lies with one shot and didn't twitch a muscle which is pretty rare from what everyone told me.




My Gemsbok shot the first evening I hunted. Being in the middle of a herd of a couple hundred of these guys is darn exciting!

Sounds like a fun hunt anyway. Maybe next year the hunting gods will smile on him.

It is interesting to see the difference between your Red Deer and the Red Deer we have in the US.

The deer you shot doesn't seem as red. I wonder why???

Also, I would have guessed that your deer would roar at the same time as any deer in the Northrn Hemisphere.

When do yours roar?

kernel,

Those are nice looking animals! how are you getting the zebra done? I have to say a nice zebra skin rug is at the top of my wish list for my hunt next year...

regards,

Pete

Wendell,

I am not an expert on Red, but from what i have seen the colour seems to vary quite a bit. A couple of years back we had a stag on the ground which appeared almost black but most seem to be this lighter colour. Interestly a lot of the foxes shot on the ground are also almost a sandy colour as well.

Although we heard a beast roaring in the distance I would expect the rut to be on in earnest in the next couple of weeks. The wallows I checked had pleanty of foot prints in, but were not actually being used to wallow. I have been told that a good frost oftern brings the Hinds into season and so sparks the rutting.

One of the problems I have is that I live about seven hours away from the ground so it is hard to build up an accurate pciture of what is going on when you only visit once a month..

Regards,

Pete

Pete,

I really wanted a shoulder mount of the zebra, but my wife stated in no uncertain terms that that was not going to happen, so I settled for the tanned hide with felt backing routine. Not sure if we'll use it as a rug or hang it on the wall just yet.

K

Kernel,

I actually like the zebras done as rugs more than the shoulder mount; they seem more "traditional" somehow...

Just remeber to post some pics when they arrive!

Regards,

Pete