I will go on record here with a few predictions on this years stag season.

1) The stag trophies are going to be unaffected by the drought. That is to say there will be good, heavy heads this year.

2) The roar will be better than the 2 previous years. I don't know if it will be much later, but I think it will be an average to good roar, probably starting heavy on or around the 20th of March.



The reasons that I believe this about the roar is that there have been many cancelations of hunts in the prime areas. In some cases up to 80 % less hunters than the previous season. One of the most important factors affecting the roar is the presure or lack of it that is placed on the stags. This is why they are always roaring like crazy on the estancias where you can't hunt them.



One would expect the trophy quality to be poor because of the drought. This is usually the case but it doesn't correspond with what I am seeing. The stags in velvet look heavy and strong. They do not seem to be in the least affected. I can only speculate as to why, but this is what I am seeing. There will of course be regional differences that will depend on factors like:

- overhunting in previous years that leaves mostly juvenile stags

- lack of poacher control year round in some areas close to higher population towns

but these will be operator specific and in operations that have exercised the necessary diligence, the trophy heads should be good.



The opening of the season on free range farms (campo abierto), is 32 days away. In a couple of months we will see how I did with my predictions.



Good luck, good hunting to all.



John

SORRY to hear hunts are down up to 80%.Sounds like the economics are bad all over.Its REAL BAD IN THE STATES