Shooting in Velvet

Cut+Squirt

Well-Known Member
Whats the general consensus on shooting roe bucks early season when still in velvet?

I appreciate some of the SD members have culls to make, but looking at this entirely from a recreational perspective where there is no pressure to reduce numbers.

Do you shoot bucks in velvet? Maybe it isn't an issue for some. . .

Personally I think it's such a waste. The beast has been diverting nutrients to it's growing antlers throughout the most difficult part of the year, I always like to see the finished result before pulling the trigger.

Stalking roe bucks in late spring, early summer is really quite special, and I think shooting a nice clean buck in summer coat and hard antler adds to the enjoyment.

What's everyone elses thoughts?
 
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Far better taking them in hard antler with a bit more colour and weight,
unless it's an absolute must.

Buck.
 
I'd quite happily see the Roe Buck season change so that you can't shoot them in hard antler! There is no reason at all on deer welfare grounds to have a closed season at all for male deer, and the roe buck season is clearly based around trophy hunting which does nothing for the welfare of deer. The best mature deer become distracted by hormones when in hard antler and become vulnerable. If deer welfare is respected, then that is when we should NOT be shooting them! Trophy hunters in my opinion have no respect for their quarry.
MS
 
Most stags & bucks are better eating when in velvet. A lot of folks on here are market hunters & although velvet can't be cut from live deer there due to EU rules, I would have thought there wouldn't have been any welfare issues collecting it from killed deer. Probably worth much more than the carcass itself.

Sharkey

Edit to add
Do the dealers get excited if you bring in a head in velvet about 50 days into growth?
 
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If as you say there is no pressure to shoot them then don,t, but then why shoot them when hard, I would shoot them if I needed a deer, I would shoot fallow in velvet no problem and spiky reds, imho this is what is wrong with stalking in the UK, too many people worried about the heads they shoot rather than culling deer, saving so called good heads has never been proved to improve genetics in wild deer.
 
this is what is wrong with stalking in the UK said:
Exactly no welfare issue in culling deer while in velvet, while many like to display their trophies, it should not play a part in management, Roe in particular should be managed by removing a % of animals across the age spectrumif it falls into the cull plan by age , then the head it is carrying should play no part.


As this poster says ,so called good heads have never been proven to improve genetics, and in fact have probably
very little part to play , remember the Buck provides only half the genetic make up the Doe contributes at least 50% so how do you decide which Doe's to shoot? By age exactly as you should be deciding on which Bucks


A Roe Doe picks the Buck Bucks she will mate with the Buck has little say in the matter.


Also Roe heads can change from year to year, while the basic shape usually stays the same the size not necessarily
so.


The largest part of your cull should be made up of yearling Bucks, so early season is a good time to take them
especially so for the deer manager that also takes clients, he can make a start on youngsters early season while most Bucks are still in velvet, leaving the middle aged and old Bucks on the cull plan to be shot by clients later when in hard antler.
 
I'd quite happily see the Roe Buck season change so that you can't shoot them in hard antler! There is no reason at all on deer welfare grounds to have a closed season at all for male deer, and the roe buck season is clearly based around trophy hunting which does nothing for the welfare of deer. The best mature deer become distracted by hormones when in hard antler and become vulnerable. If deer welfare is respected, then that is when we should NOT be shooting them! Trophy hunters in my opinion have no respect for their quarry.
MS

A bit harsh Mick but I agree with your statement more that the one the original question is eluding to. I do find antler growth in roe fascinating though. I suppose you could collect records of representatives on your management area through photos instead? Personally I wouldn't like to see the buck season changed though! What would I do over the summer?!
 
I think it's a personal thing, but I prefer to take them a bit later once they have put on a bit of weight with all the good spring grass, and before all the testosterone starts to build - that's when they are best eating. Early season moulting bucks are a pain to skin - hair gets everywhere.
 
So most stalkers are happy to leave them till after they have damaged lots off trees fraying the velvet off in order to get some antlers!
 
Most stags & bucks are better eating when in velvet. A lot of folks on here are market hunters & although velvet can't be cut from live deer there due to EU rules, I would have thought there wouldn't have been any welfare issues collecting it from killed deer. Probably worth much more than the carcass itself.

Sharkey

Edit to add
Do the dealers get excited if you bring in a head in velvet about 50 days into growth?


Being a complete ignoramus I was unaware of the market for velvet, so I have just had a Google, quite fascinating really.

cheers Sharkey
 
Being a complete ignoramus I was unaware of the market for velvet, so I have just had a Google, quite fascinating really.

cheers Sharkey

It is indeed fascinating, but I don't think that velvet harvested as the by-product from stalking in the UK is really a viable proposition.

For commercial production I believe it is taken from deer by removing the antlers under local anesthetic, at between 55 and 65 days of growth.

Red deer velvet seems to be preferred because of its quality and quantity, so getting enough from roe and/or muntjac might prove to be a challenge. :D
 
Hi just posted apicture of my first buck of the season shot this morning , not started to shed velvet yet but was in a young plantation .could have left him for later but knew I had to take him out so yes no problem shooting them in velvet but each to their own
 
A bit harsh Mick but I agree with your statement more that the one the original question is eluding to. I do find antler growth in roe fascinating though. I suppose you could collect records of representatives on your management area through photos instead? Personally I wouldn't like to see the buck season changed though! What would I do over the summer?!
I probably am being a bit harsh, as I or course refer to mainly the Rut. I does rather upset me though at the amount of prime male animals that are shot either just before or during the Rut when their guard is down under the guise of 'deer management' , when they have been clearly targeted for nothing more than what they wear on their head! What annoys me even more though, is that some folk will even risk injuring an animal by pulling the shot back into the liver/gut area so they don't damage their precious intended full shoulder mount!!:evil:
I recall a tale of a friend of mine that had a European client out that did exactly that. Apparently he was not too impressed when my friend then humanely dispatched the Roe Buck with a Ballistic Tip between the eyes! "You ruined my trophy " he cried!:eek:
Tough **** I'd say which is probably one of the main reasons I can't be doing with taking clients out.
MS
 
W G dont get me worked up, ive only just found out some bad news, im part greek!!as if i dont have enough problems,
 
I am yet to shoot my first roe buck but if it falls within the cull plan and presents itself then it will be getting culled in velvet or not!!!
 
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