Muntjac weight

[Rutland lad]

Members - can you comment on the weight of muntjac shot please.
I’m of the opinion that over the last 15 years that the size of muntjac has increased noticeably in my area, but now seems to have reached its natural peak of around 18kg.
I’ve not heard of any locally that tip the scales at more than this, but I’m wondering if in more established areas or remote areas where there’s not as much muntjac control there are ones that can make 20kg +
Can anyone enlighten me ?
Photos are of last nights buck which tipped the scales at just under 18kg

 

[deerstalker.308]

Full carcass weight though, most weights stated are gralloched with head and feet off?

 

[Rutland lad]

Full carcass weight though, most weights stated are gralloched with head and feet off?

Yes, I’m talking full carcass weight. Ungralloched, feet and head still on.
Essentially ‘live weight’

 

[deerstalker.308]

I would imagine the vast majority of us would only know carcass weights, can’t say I’ve ever weighed a munty whole I’m afraid.

 

[NoIDeer]

What was his larder weight? 14kg larder weight is the biggest I've seen, with 12kg+ reasonably common, most are in single figures though.

 

[Tim.243]

View attachment 396104View attachment 396105Members - can you comment on the weight of muntjac shot please.
I’m of the opinion that over the last 15 years that the size of muntjac has increased noticeably in my area, but now seems to have reached its natural peak of around 18kg.
I’ve not heard of any locally that tip the scales at more than this, but I’m wondering if in more established areas or remote areas where there’s not as much muntjac control there are ones that can make 20kg +
Can anyone enlighten me ?
Photos are of last nights buck which tipped the scales at just under 18kg

Most mature Bucks will be around that weight, when we were shooting in Lincoln the chap there would record fallow shot/dressed weight. Yes I do think they are getting a bit bigger but the big ones are the ones who you have not bumped into so they keep eating.
A local farm has stopped mowing down a 4 acre block of scrub full of willows as they off set it for green area but stopped 2 years ago. The muntjac moved out from a Wildlife area then bumped into me, saw a pair who had come out and shot the Buck as I can't get in the willow patch. Around your quoted weight as I dragged him the 200 yds to the truck,
Like I said not seen and feeding very well.

 

[Tim.243]

What was his larder weight? 14kg larder weight is the biggest I've seen, with 12kg+ reasonably common, most are in single figures though.

33lb on old farm scales but they showed to be very true with a 28lb Avery weight so my heaviest was 15kg
Old old Buck who turned up one late afternoon.
Big deer dry out and loose 2-4kg quite quickly. I weighed a red in and out with a loss of 3kg sitting a 2deg.

 

[Pete6.5]

That's not overly big for a live weight muntjac

 

[Tim.243]

That's not overly big for a live weight muntjac

Thought you would turn up with the negative "spin"

 

[RCS Deer Management]

What was the carcass weight?

 

[Rutland lad]

What was the carcass weight?

I don’t get paid by the lb/kg so I don’t weigh them after gralloch.

 

[Rutland lad]

That's not overly big for a live weight muntjac

So what’s the biggest recorded - do you know any weights to compare to ?

 

[wytonpjs]

Ok - bit bored for 10 minutes so I've just looked up my larder records for the last 18 months

FWIW: 25 muntjac, 14 bucks at an average larder weight of 7.86 kg, 9 does at an average larder weight of 7.65 kg. Heaviest buck was 10 kg, lightest 4.6kg; heaviest doe was 8.7 kg, lightest 6.2 kg. Whilst the averages are quite close, there were a number of lighter young bucks (4.6 to 6.8kg) offsetting several 10 kgs and four 9.5-9 kg animals. The does were typically 7-8 kg. All taken in South Glos/North Wilts.

 

[Pete6.5]

So what’s the biggest recorded - do you know any weights to compare to ?

I will look back in my cull records but it will be larder weight.

 

[RCS Deer Management]

So what’s the biggest recorded - do you know any weights to compare to ?

I think you will struggle, 99% of people record larder weight

 

[Rutland lad]

It’s not that important to me - I’m not after Guinness World Record status.
I was merely interested in how big they’ve got and how big they’re likely to become.

 

[RCS Deer Management]

In my area carcass weights of 12kg are a weekly occurrence, with a couple a year breaking 13kg

 

[Charles S-J]

For what it's worth, I've always considered 27 - 28 lbs as a good average clean weight for a mature buck (head & legs on) over the past 30 years or so, and still consider anything over 30lbs an unusually large animal. The biggest I have shot was 37 lbs, an old buck. All came from low to medium density areas in southern England (mainly Hants/Berks).

I have been told of a 39 lb animal, surprisingly a doe, shot in the Midlands but I never got a chance to verify it. I would be unsurprised, though, if average weights are lower in those areas with very high muntjac densities.

Apologies for Imperial measures rather than metric.

 

[Tim.243]

It’s not that important to me - I’m not after Guinness World Record status.
I was merely interested in how big they’ve got and how big they’re likely to become.

They will only get fatter from feeding, but evolving into super size muntjac then we will all be dust as they have been that size for a very long time.
Food is key, look back to the high st in the 50/60/70 before KFC Mcd's look know
Habit/Value is the biggest factor as most dealers won't take them it is rare not to take out a front leg as those who shoot them all the time will know. (including myself)

If it is safe I shoot every one I can get.

 

[Tim.243]

For what it's worth, I've always considered 27 - 28 lbs as a good average clean weight for a mature buck (head & legs on) over the past 30 years or so, and still consider anything over 30lbs an unusually large animal. The biggest I have shot was 37 lbs, an old buck. All came from low to medium density areas in southern England (mainly Hants/Berks).

I have been told of a 39 lb animal, surprisingly a doe, shot in the Midlands but I never got a chance to verify it. I would be unsurprised, though, if average weights are lower in those areas with very high muntjac densities.

Apologies for Imperial measures rather than metric.

The weight is the same Metric/Imp. I weigh in Imp as I have old farm scales, but the GD is in KG
Just like when you miss in Mts/Yds it is a miss lol