Would you leave him ?

[Midlandstalker2024]

Would you leave this guy to see if he’d improve or is he a lost cause ? Small bey tines and the brows are a bit wonky. Conscious he’s still young, but wouldn’t want to be leaving any bad genetics.

 

[HonestJohn]

He’s got signs of bothe good and bad. I’d leave him just to see what he produces this summer, then decide. He’s one of the ones that could go either way IMHO

 

[SikaSeeker]

The genetic things is a funny one. People managing deer for generations, but still weak animals come through. If you have to think about it, shot him.

 

[VSS]

If you want "good genetics", stop looking at the antlers and instead consider conformation and body condition for the time of year.

 

[One on top of two]

If you want "good genetics", stop looking at the antlers and instead consider conformation and body condition for the time of year.

sage advice .

 

[Midlandstalker2024]

Thanks and duly noted. I thought his body condition was good given the time of year. Taken a few spikers recently and all in similar condition, still good fat reserves.

If you want "good genetics", stop looking at the antlers and instead consider conformation and body condition for the time of year.

 

[shakey jake]

How large a ground do you look after

 

[Sheamus]

If you want "good genetics", stop looking at the antlers and instead consider conformation and body condition for the time of year.

Take no notice of the Welsh Oricle he knows bugger all about Reds
Midland stalker that stag could well be decent compared to others in your current location.
IF it were on my ground he'd be one of the first to go. Only because there are better quality ones in my area.
Any stags that are around that are smaller or less developed than him.
I'd start with them..

 

[JMikeyH]

Take no notice of the Welsh Oricle he knows bugger all about Reds
Midland stalker that stag could well be decent compared to others in your current location.
IF it were on my ground he'd be one of the first to go. Only because there are better quality ones in my area.
Any stags that are around that are smaller or less developed than him.
I'd start with them..View attachment 463019

Christ, did you have even the slightest bit of regret about how much work you had to do shortly after this picture was taken?

 

[Midlandstalker2024]

How large a ground do you look after

It’s about 600 acres of farm land and commercial that’s part of about 1500acres of public land that can’t be shot.

 

[Midlandstalker2024]

Take no notice of the Welsh Oricle he knows bugger all about Reds
Midland stalker that stag could well be decent compared to others in your current location.
IF it were on my ground he'd be one of the first to go. Only because there are better quality ones in my area.
Any stags that are around that are smaller or less developed than him.
I'd start with them..View attachment 463019

Thanks, plenty of drum sticks and a few decent stags. Took a decent silver medal stag at the start of the year.

Can feel my back burning just looking at that photo.

 

[shakey jake]

It’s about 600 acres of farm land and commercial that’s part of about 1500acres of public land that can’t be shot.

Do the reds bread on the ground?
If not i would wouldnt worry about what you shoot

 

[Midlandstalker2024]

Do the reds bread on the ground?
If not i would wouldnt worry about what you shoot

Yeah there’s usually a rutting stand or two on the ground.

Generally the hinds hang around all year and the stags float in and out around the rut and when the tillage grows.

 

[Sheamus]

Christ, did you have even the slightest bit of regret about how much work you had to do shortly after this picture was taken?

I did regret it Mikey during the 300 yard extraction

 

[HonestJohn]

He might be older than you think

 

[VSS]

Take no notice of the Welsh Oricle he knows bugger all about Reds
Midland stalker that stag could well be decent compared to others in your current location.
IF it were on my ground he'd be one of the first to go. Only because there are better quality ones in my area.
Any stags that are around that are smaller or less developed than him.
I'd start with them..View attachment 463019

Whether it's a red deer, a Highland bull or a Suffolk ram makes bugger all difference when it comes to selecting good animal genetics.
But I should think that genetics is probably something you know bugger all about.

 

[Ronin]

Would you leave this guy to see if he’d improve or is he a lost cause ? Small bey tines and the brows are a bit wonky. Conscious he’s still young, but wouldn’t want to be leaving any bad genetics.

If that was on ground I looked after it would be in the chiller pdq

 

[Sol]

Logistically you cant really control wild deer genetics, you can however shoot him and hope something "better" takes his place however same time he could be a transient stag that will be gone in the next 2 weeks anyway and you'll never see him again regardless, really up too yourself if you wanna leave him and see if he remains on the ground.

He's a nice stag wonky fronts but score/fighting wise, that hardly effects him I doubt, he still has them at least.

 

[HonestJohn]

Unless you leave him to see what he is like next season, you’ll never know if you made the right decision. No harm in seeing what he’s like later, he might become a keeper for 3-4 years, or you might see him in August and say that he was in fact a ‘taker’. But you need two or three time points to evaluate, otherwise you’re just guessing.

 

[Mickeydredd]

Shoot him, bigger and better will show up if you have a resident population