Part 2 - Brother Scott Shot a What?

After a bit of rest, some lunch (pork pies, crisps, and coffee) and a strategy session, it was decided I would go back to the meadow where I spied the big sika in the morning. LeviGSP and Brother Scott would go to the second clearfell that was awash in sign.

I quietly exited the vehicle, and headed toward the meadow. I found a slightly higher hump of ground to seemed to provide a view of the entire meadow while being favorable for the current wind direction. I arranged my sticks, rifle, checked the ground for a soft and reasonably dry spot, and then promptly fell asleep for nearly an hour. Fortunately I awoke with the last hour before dark still available to me. But, all was for naught. The meadow was as quiet as my dreams.

Meanwhile, the other team went down to the logging access road and drove down as close to the clearfell as possible. It wasn’t long before they spotted a stag and hind at the limits of proper identification with binoculars. Realizing there was no way to make an approach across at least ½ a mile of clearfell, they carried on. Not much further and they were rewarded with a young stag standing broadside at perhaps 250 yards. The beast was staring their direction but clearly not excessively alarmed.

With a solid rest, and a quick ranging, Brother Scott held for 240 yards and sent the shot on the way. He lurched (the beast, not Scott) forward and stopped, then staggered a bit disappearing behind a small stand of trees. Confident in the shot they started the approach and let the German Shorthair “Van” have his head to find the stag. Quickly “Van” found the downed quarry.

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A quick gralloch showed another healthy and fat stag, and the shot placement through both lungs was just as expected. A short drag put the animal in an Argo accessible location, and then back in the hunt for a sika. Alas, no more shootable animals were located before dark so it was back to the truck for the Argo and recovery of the young stag.

In Brother Scott’s own words “I realize that this story was a bit less than exciting. No rivers were braved or mountains scaled and I took the first shot offered on a legal beast. I am primarily a meat hunter and I think that each and every animal is a gift and should be regarded as such. In my opinion, full bellies are the best trophies. Rarely will I pass on a healthy animal that will fill my freezer or that of others. In fact, I have only pulled the trigger 6 times in my life on antlered game, much preferring fat does and cow elk. Four of six were felled in Scotland under the guidance and tutelage of both FallowStalker and LeviGSP (including a Sika Spiker shot for table fare) and all will be proudly displayed in my home, regardless of size. Credit is also due SikaMalc and his lovely wife Sandra for their generous invite that first brought us to Scotland. It was they that planted the seed that has matured in a might Scotch Pine. I will cherish these memories forever. My dreams of hunting no longer occur in the States, but in the Highlands.”

As an aside - I should point out at this time, that perhaps I was a bit harsh on the Argo. The design of the Argo (except for the cockpit) is
truly brilliant. It can go across terrain that would impassible to a quad, and its low center of gravity means it is nearly impossible to tip over.
The ride BACK across bog and moor with Stag as cargo redeems the vehicle, the Argo has certainly has a niche. As a matter of fact, Brother
Scott is now actively looking at Argos as a ranch vehicle for his place in Colorado.

Stag loaded next to his deceased relative, Argo loaded back on trailer, team 2 headed my direction. Upon arrival they played coy and acted as if they had shot nothing, but soon the cat was out of the bag. I walked around to the Argo and my first words were “You’ve shot a Sika, congratulations”. They both corrected me and said “No, just a young red with a poor rack.”, but I wasn’t so sure. The antlers were quite dark, and did not angle out quite like a red does.

It was quite late by the time we got back to the larder, so after hanging, removing the pluck and head, and weighing, we just headed to bed. Just for the record, my stag was 12 stone with head, pluck and hocks removed – so reasonably assumed to have been 14 stone or better on the hoof. Brother Scotts stag was right at 10 stone so perhaps 12 stone on the hoof. Both were in quite excellent condition. Yes, I know I could use "pounds" but somehow that doesn't seem appropriate when speaking of Highland stags.

The next morning we slept in, had a proper Scots breakfast then went out to work on the heads. Along side the wall, the difference between the two was more evident than we thought. Based on facial coloration, antler color and growth we felt this could be a red x sika hybrid. After boiling out the skulls we headed south to Lairg to meet up with SikaMalc and his lovely wife Sandra. We of course wanted a second opinion, as well as a chance to visit.

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Malc and Sandra were in good spirits and we had a bit of pleasant talk before getting to the point. Did he think this could be a hybrid. At first he was fairly certain that it was just a run of the mill red, based on phone pictures.

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However, when we presented the boiled heads he noted some antler characteristics that were not exactly right for a red, and favored perhaps a sika. Malc was much less certain that this was a pure red, and instead suggested that it might be an F2 or F3 hybrid, mostly red but showing some sika characteristics. His parting comments on the subject were to look at the hocks when we got back. A white hock gland was the mark of sika, while the red/brown would be for a red. Upon arrival, the hocks did show a white gland so we suspect that this was indeed a hybrid stag.

So – while this is story of our stalk – please do chime in with an opinion on the head. I wish we had taken better pictures, but by the time we had thought of that it was dark and many of the “bits” were in a pluck bucket full of the sort of things that really don’t need to be photographed.

Part 3 will follow – but that will be strictly shooting so if you are purely a deer stalker you can tune out now.
 
I don’t think it screams hybrid, but the best way is to look at the hocks and whether there are spots in the ears. Hybrids, imho don’t develop the pelage of sika unless interbreeding has occurred for several generations

ps, the brow tines are also too upright for a sika hybrid..most likely a young stag with an antler set just not setting a curve, which gives it the sika look..but I reckon 2 year old stag

the big one is a fine stag, young, probably 5-6, and to be fair, in my ground, would have been left as a breeding stag, no offense meant whatsoever
 
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I don’t think it screams hybrid, but the best way is to look at the hocks and whether there are spots in the ears. Hybrids, imho don’t develop the pelage of sika unless interbreeding has occurred for several generations

ps, the brow tines are also too upright for a sika hybrid..most likely a young stag with an antler set just not setting a curve, which gives it the sika look..but I reckon 2 year old stag

the big one is a fine stag, young, probably 5-6, and to be fair, in my ground, would have been left as a breeding stag, no offense meant whatsoever

You echo what SikaMalc said - he wasn't convinced either - but he did point out the hocks (which we had to go back and find, and they did indeed show white) and also mentioned the white ridge between the brow and the bez tines. Not extremely prominent, but clearly visible especially on the left antler. I am not an expert by any stretch, but an F2 or F3 backcross back into reds could explain. And, as you said, it may just be a red.

As to the other stag - your right, he is a prime beast. If I was managing that ground I also might have left him - but after 9 hours of plane riding and 4000+ miles, I was just happy to see something. I take no offense, and understand your comments completely.
 
I don’t pass blame on taking a prime beast if it’s done responsibly and not as matter of course to satisfy paying guests, and the rest of the cull is done in a balanced manner. So like I said, no judgement passed.

the young one,,, the white lines are imho just from fraying, which the young are notorious for, even when the the velvet is off, and as they have quite underdeveloped antlers the fructose which colours them dark gets rubbed off very easily, leaving the white lines.

If there is a sika population in the locality, then yes, it could possibly be a hybrid, but if there really isn’t a prolific sika population matched with a very low red stag population, then I’d put my money hard on it being just a young red stag
 
I don’t pass blame on taking a prime beast if it’s done responsibly and not as matter of course to satisfy paying guests, and the rest of the cull is done in a balanced manner. So like I said, no judgement passed.

the young one,,, the white lines are imho just from fraying, which the young are notorious for, even when the the velvet is off, and as they have quite underdeveloped antlers the fructose which colours them dark gets rubbed off very easily, leaving the white lines.

If there is a sika population in the locality, then yes, it could possibly be a hybrid, but if there really isn’t a prolific sika population matched with a very low red stag population, then I’d put my money hard on it being just a young red stag
The Ground is managed, all sika hinds are removed if possible and most stags, but its a large forested area with a lot of replanted area and clearfell as well.
The red population is fairly stable and they are always strong antlered as the feeding is so good etc.
When I first went to deal with the beast, I put it as a young red, however on checking the hocks on this stag were clearly white, so no mistaking it as a hybrid.
Its not the first by a long chalk and certainly wont be the last of the same ground.
 
The Ground is managed, all sika hinds are removed if possible and most stags, but its a large forested area with a lot of replanted area and clearfell as well.
The red population is fairly stable and they are always strong antlered as the feeding is so good etc.
When I first went to deal with the beast, I put it as a young red, however on checking the hocks on this stag were clearly white, so no mistaking it as a hybrid.
Its not the first by a long chalk and certainly wont be the last of the same ground.

:thumb:
 
Thanks for writing this up. An enjoyable read, and nice to hear a little from Malc as well - like many on this forum and off it, I owe my love of the deer to stalking with him. I'd love to pursue highland stags. One day. Maybe!
 
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