Very nice photos. Are these Sika? what kind?

I assume the ear clipping is the owner's marking?

Steve first of all let me assure you that this hind and calf are truly wild and free in heavy mountain country in Victoria,i found her in the small clearing amongst heavy ti-tree bushes and managed to take 15 pics of her.

She is a sambar and the stags are often considered the worlds premium antlered game in the stakes for absolute hunting qualities.

The earmark is one of those naturals that are from a wild dog, another deer biting fighting etc,she is one deer that has never or will never ever see the insides of a so called "game ranch"

And as you dont know about them or me i forgive you for thinking she was a "pen deer"

Nice pic's. What sort of camera are you using?

canon s3

They are strikingly handsome animals.

Nice pics, pardon the ignorance but what are the pink tissue beneath the eyes? Joe

pre orbital glands that have been inverted..often in times of stress or wariness...the stags will blow theirs up like a small orange.

Nice looking beasties Gryphon!
Can't wait until next June!

i watched the stag last night for 1/2 an hour Patrick

Gidday Gryph,

Well done mate. Those are fantastic animal studies.

While we have Sambar here they are not as widespread as the other breeds so it is good to see they are readily available in Victoria.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

quote:

so it is good to see they are readily available in Victoria.

haha not so readily available hamish,wild ones are tough to take with gun,bow or camera.

John - Thanks just what i've been chasing.

Sam i have more of course ....glad to help you out,i reckon although technically not brilliant they are pretty good examples of a WILD sambar hind,possibly my best yet!

here is anothery of her and calf,slightly diff pose

Great photos Gryphon1. What focal length is the lens on the Canon.

mike

12x Mike

Fantastic photo's Gryphon. It takes a lot of stalking skill and some luck to get pictures from this distance. I've completed hunt #2 of my apprenticeship on these elusive buggers and have put one up - waiting to be honked next. Sure makes the other species look easy. What was the stag like ?

30.5 long x 35 wide ,hes on the wall.

#3 is a red swap if you have the place haha.

As you can see the dates I answered mikes post as a bit of a larf!

as usual for you - fantastic photos

Silly me - should have looked at the dates. Got way too many Reds running around my place - first tentative Stag grunts already heard over the weekend. I think RIDGE has about two dozen hunters booked in to the hills over the back of my place for this season - plenty to go round.

Ridgeman I dont mind at all,better to be a tad late and actually reply rather than just another of the lurkers that frequent every forum in the world.

Damned good pics, Gryphon. Though the calf's head is hidden, I can't recall any photos in 'Australian Deer' ever showing a hind and calf together.

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing and all the information!

I never realized their heads n necks were so small compared to their bodies. Great photography mate. Thanks for sharing.
George