Gold medal Stag pictures

Lakey

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

Just thought I would post pictures of the best ever wild Sika Stag that I have ever seen. The pictures were taken a couple of years ago and feature a awesome middle aged stag with an almost certain Gold medal antler set. It is by far the biggest Sika stag I have ever photographed and is a 100% wild animal so I was lucky to get close enough enough to get these pics.

http://
TEW03120672_00057a.jpg



http://
TEW03120672_00058a.jpg



http://
TEW03120672_00054a.jpg


http://
TEW03120672_00062a.jpg


http://
TEW03120672_00064a.jpg
 
I hope the stag still is around. The pictures were taken whilst I was visiting another stalkers area, and although the stalker said he was going to keep the animal, it was occupying an area on the edge of the estate, and if it stepped off the ground, it would be running the gauntlet . I do hope he is still around as IMO it wasnt of advanced age when I photographed it. Still an awesome trophy that most stalkers would love to grass.

If you had him and his hinds on your ground, would you shoot him ?
 
Andy, cracking foto's bud as always

Just had four bucks in two outings on my bit you had a young buck on.


Hopefully get out together again soon. Be nice to catch up pal

Terry
 
if he was on my ground i would probably want to keep him alive till he started going back it would be a pleasure to see him but you cant guarantee they will stay on the ground and alot of people would nail him on sight. thanks for sharing the pictures ,atb wayne
 
Thanks for the replies so far. Like Mereside, I would probably let it live if it was on my ground, at least till he started to go back. Problem is they range far and wide, and stags that I have left before have never been seen again.

Sadly , I dont give much for his chances of still being around, as the area is heavily stalked, and most people given the chance of a pretty certain gold medal would take it?
 
Excellent pictures Lakey, that really is a sika of a life time. I dont think he would have lasted very long in the north of scotland where i live im afraid :D.

ATB wallace
 
If he has been shot lets hope its by somebody who appreciates him for what he is, a spectacular Stag, and not poached and the head cut off and flung in a ditch or left to rot off behind a shed.

Great pics as ever Lakey, bet the heart was going even without a rifle.

Moose
 
Defo a keeper, had a similar one pass through my ground last season in Dorset and as you said they do travel but fingers crossed he's still around, problem is that nearly all areas around are heavily stalked but just hoping he will return. Great photos, thanks for putting them up

Atb
Cal
 
A few points.

That stag did not get to that size by being stupid, so who is to say he won't survive for another 3 or 4 years?

However, as a beast of already a few years old, he has spread his seed no doubt with countless hinds and as Sika are fairly transient probably over a vast area. So, why would some be so reluctant to shoot him?
 
A few points.

That stag did not get to that size by being stupid, so who is to say he won't survive for another 3 or 4 years?

However, as a beast of already a few years old, he has spread his seed no doubt with countless hinds and as Sika are fairly transient probably over a vast area. So, why would some be so reluctant to shoot him?

Because on my permission the estate owner likes to see the stags but just not in huge numbers and if I had to keep one then it would be my choice to retain one like this on my ground, still a few more years breeding in him yet

Atb
Cal
 
Because on my permission the estate owner likes to see the stags but just not in huge numbers and if I had to keep one then it would be my choice to retain one like this on my ground, still a few more years breeding in him yet

Atb
Cal

Hi Cal

That's a good enough reason if the owner wants him left. But the question was asked, 'would you shoot him...' and several responded by saying 'no'. I was curious as to what their reasons are for leaving him given that he could wander off and never be seen again ( perhaps not reason in itself for shooting), be shot by next door (also not reason in itself for shooting but if that's likely to happen the management programme is kind of out the window on the periphery of your ground), has already passed on his genes to offspring probably far and wide and has been doing so since he was sexually mature, not just since he started throwing a head of that quality. His genes do not change because he now has a huge rack on him. What about the argument that perhaps after several years it is time for him to be removed to allow fresh blood to dominate the herd?

Too many folk say they would leave a beastie of that quality because they just like to think it is the right thing to do, and would criticise another for shooting it.

If he has been observed over several seasons in reaching that size, then that intimate knowledge could be used to determine the point where he has now covered no doubt hundreds of hinds and it is time to remove him. Roe allow that management style because of their territorial behaviour, but Sika stags do not.

Personally, if he appeared on my ground and presented a shot, I would take him and be happy in doing so...

Just my opinion and not really criticising anyone as such but I dont think it's as simple as saying 'he is too good to shoot...'.

Regardless, one of the best looking Sika stags I have seen.
 
Back
Top