Do the Aussie sambar stags cast their antlers every year , at a specific time ?

I was reading a book on NZ sambar that said that here the stags often retain their antler for more than a year , and that they can shed at anytime as opposed to a specific season.

Since I dont have much experience with sambar here I wondered if someone out there might know - and no Gryphon - I'm not looking for a verbal war, you guys are doing fine elsewhere.

Sambar same as Chital can cast their antlers at any time, unlike European species which as a herd drop in the same few weeks. With both species it is possible to find some in good hard antler while others have well developed velvet antlers growing.

I have read there are one or two times when Sambar are more likely to drop.

Not an expert. Gryphon would be able to answer very well.


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Not to hyjack but Rusa seem to drop during a predefined season. What about hog deer? What about NZ Sika?

Not a hi-jack at all John. Its an interesting scenario were deer of different sub-species behave quite differently in relation to antler formation.

I wasnt aware that chital hold their antlers for a longer time than reds or fallow .

I am hoping that Gryphon might share some greater knowledge in relation to sambar - I dont personally know any sambar hunters in nz to ask them.

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Since I dont have much experience with sambar here I wondered if someone out there might know - and no Gryphon - I'm not looking for a verbal war, you guys are doing fine elsewhere.

Seeing as you have cap in hand Muzza i will attempt an answer for you.

Sambar in Vic have been seen in velvet at all sorts of times throughout the year but as the years they have been here rapidly grow in numbers there is a definite swing towards a standard of early summer casting and of course velvet onwards with rub out and hard antler around May,some maybe earlier or later (biggun`s later) but May is a good time to start the long journey into harvesting a good stag.

My opinion is that it is almost unlikely to see velvet in mid winter etc as has been observed many years ago.However the hinds dont conform to any rule and thus can be seen with calves all year round,though in saying that and working out gestation times etc we come to the finding that many of them are served in summer????? Stags in velvet??????? Amazing animals they are.

I see the boys rolled a big stag freshly cast that they took about a fortnight ago,big as in big spaces where his coronets should be...prob a thumper. and a shame too as they had been after him a while i`m told.

I observed a deer at first light on Sunday morning and in an attempt to gain yardage for a pic session i was thwarted by a wind shift,i was spewing too as i was sure it was a stag due to bulk etc without seeing antlers due to poor light even through the bino`s and my belief is that there is a big chance that he was freshly cast also.

Thanks Gryphon - and I will ignore the cap-in-hand bit this time

Its intrigueing that sambar seem to have no set mating/casting/birthing seasons . Does anyone know how they behave in India ?

I suspect that a velvet stag would have no difficulty shagging Mrs Deer as long as he didnt bash his antlers on any undergrowth or branches. The mating instinct takes precedence over common sense in most species..

Anyone have any other information to add ? be nice if any NZ sambar hunters had some information too.

Thanks.

To answer your first question muzza , yes aussie sambar cast their antlers every year and im sure they would do the same where ever they happen to be living . The main casting period is mid october to mid february with the majority of stags casting in december and january . The hinds gestation period is 260 days , give or take ten days . As gryphon says hinds are often seen with young calves at all times of the year but there seem to be a main calf drop around about late april early may which would mean a peak breeding period of august september . Hope this helps and doesnt start another bun fight .

Thanks hollis. Interesting stuff!

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Originally posted by gryphon1:
Sambar in Vic have been seen in velvet at all sorts of times throughout the year but as the years they have been here rapidly grow in numbers there is a definite swing towards a standard of early summer casting and of course velvet onwards with rub out and hard antler around May,some maybe earlier or later (biggun`s later) but May is a good time to start the long journey into harvesting a good stag.

What's the reason for the change? ie a perceived change to a more definite casting season.

I also read that there is believed to be a another perhaps "smaller" (in numbers) casting season? Is this true or not?

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ie a perceived change to a more definite casting season.

Even in India you will see velvet and hard stags in the one group..bloody amazing that..

Wapiti in NZ... they only took a few years to bring their breeding cycle in line with NZ`s seasons...rutting casting etc (Sth Hemisphere/Nth Hem)

Sambar appear to be slowly coming inline with ozzie seasons and may just have a regular casting period eventually,all the signs are pointing to that.
Bit of an enigma the old sambar...while plenty have been shot there hasnt been enough authoritive study done on them..i have read most of the reports but there is nothing to say its exactly black and white.....i think i will have to put in for a grant to study sambar deer and take some field samples while i`m there.

I wonder if its an enery saving thing? Am I right in thinking Northern deer species grow antlers from spring onwards? In times of plenty? Where in the sub continent they have no harsh winter so the stags can grow them any time?

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:

quote:

ie a perceived change to a more definite casting season.

Even in India you will see velvet and hard stags in the one group..bloody amazing that.

I believed this was the case, but couldn't remember exactly if this was so. I found that interesting considering sambar in Australia have had some pattern of casting at odd times.

Maybe they need more definite seasonal change. In India in the mountain areas, the winters can be very cold, but summers hotter??? This of course varies from one area to another, depending on the topography.

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Bit of an enigma the old sambar...while plenty have been shot there hasnt been enough authoritive study done on them..i have read most of the reports but there is nothing to say its exactly black and white.....i think i will have to put in for a grant to study sambar deer and take some field samples while i`m there.

Go for it. Can I be a field assistant? Unfortunately the only way to get a gov't grant to study sambar in Australia ie an introduced species, was if the objective was how to exterminate them.

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Go for it. Can I be a field assistant? Smiler Frowner

Yes why not,they are heavy bastards you know

I wonder if its an enery saving thing? Am I right in thinking Northern deer species grow antlers from spring onwards? In times of plenty? Where in the sub continent they have no harsh winter so the stags can grow them any time?

the other species here have their pre ordained times set for them but not the sambar Bakesy.

It may be how they evolved. They have been transplanted into another country but they can't change their evloution. Where the sambar is a warm climate deer anyway so it can afford the energy required to grow them at any time of the year.

[/QUOTE]

What's the reason for the change? ie a perceived change to a more definite casting season.
[/QUOTE]
Could it be as simple as as the sambar herd increases in size that their biological trends become more obvious ?

I saw an interesting thing with a late born sambar spiker a few years ago , he cast his antlers only five weeks after rubbing them out which bought him in line with the main january casting period .

quote:

Originally posted by hollis:

What's the reason for the change? ie a perceived change to a more definite casting season.
[/QUOTE]
Could it be as simple as as the sambar herd increases in size that their biological trends become more obvious ?



I saw an interesting thing with a late born sambar spiker a few years ago , he cast his antlers only five weeks after rubbing them out which bought him in line with the main january casting period .[/QUOTE]

If so then there would be many more reports of casting and velvet out of line with the main numbers i imagine if it is still going on a lot.

Was that spikey a pen deer Hollis?

[/QUOTE]Was that spikey a pen deer Hollis?[/QUOTE]

Yes he was in a pen , it was unusual nevertheless .

I have seen 8 sambar stags in the last few days.
4 were in hard antler (2 were 25" or bigger, 2 were less than 20" and uneven length).
1 was in hard velvet, looked like he was ready to start rubbing. The velvet was very light grey and tips were pointy. At least mid 20s if not bigger.
1 was half grown velvet and looked to be heading towards mid 20s as well.
1 had velvet bumps but was large bodied indicating a mature stag.
1 was a spiker in velvet.

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