32/35kg dressed
Risk/threat to other bucks?
- Thread starter Enigma41a
- Start date
Fursty Ferret
Well-Known Member
Looks to be carry an injury to his rear left lower leg too. Maybe just the picture?Hi there.. any help please?
I know these pictures aren't the best (taken at distance as darkness fell) but can I have opinions/advice on whether this pricket/young buck is a threat to Fallow bucks with the rut imminent ... and with that antler please? Grateful thanks in advance
Enigma41a
Active Member
No it's not the picture. He does have an injury
baguio
Well-Known Member
No different to the first one. A typical first head and not going to rut for another couple of years.
baguio
Well-Known Member
Certainly lacking meat on its left haunch.
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
Decision made then, cull, why ever not?No it's not the picture. He does have an injury
Enigma41a
Active Member
He's showing good signs of recovery this last 48 hrs but not actually my call. My query was about those antlers as they were going to cost him his life before his lower half (hidden in undergrowth) was even seen. It was a query I wanted to learn from. I'm not a land manager or stalker. I'm passionate about our local Fallow and monitor them for a well-known charity. I totally 'get' management and humane dispatch when required, no problem but when it comes to dispatch, it has to be justified. This boy is not currently in our ground. I spotted him on ground managed by our appointed shooter and made him aware, in general conversation, about the unusual antlers. The moment I did, he was a "gonner" . I came here with the query to better understand why. I find the SD a brilliant source of information/education.
devon deer stalker
Well-Known Member
I wonder what the farmer would think if he read your post?Our small male population was targeted by poachers Spring and Summer of '23 so some careful consideration and selection is required. If he is no threat to far more mature bucks during this upcoming rut (which was my original query) he can be spared.. can't he? Isn't 'selective shooting' relative to the size and balance of your local wild population? Just trying to learn..
I can't speak for your position but mine would not be happy with me.
Just have a little think from his perspective, he goes to harvest his wheat and just finds stalks and no heads.
Back to your original question, he won't present any threat to a larger buck, to be honest selective culling is out of the window until deer populations have been brought down to more sensible levels.....just shoot it and tell the farmer you shot it.
Edit: your above post was made as I was replying
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
This wouldn’t be a case of “humane dispatch” rather than selective culling weak/infirm individuals for which he ticks all the boxes
Enigma41a
Active Member
No farm involved here.
All antlers cost deer their life at some point for many reasons, that is why we have too many deer, you will not see people spending money on stalking taxidermy costs to have hind/doe mounted, yes some but the high % will be an antlered male leaving a female to carry on. That is fine but crunch the numbers and look in a lot of big houses pubs museums and you will see very few females. Just how it is.
I kept a fallow pricket with spikes like that, hoping he'd make a decent headed buck. He hasn't. His head is appalling! 3rd head this year, with minimal span, no palmation, and only rudimentary brow tines!
Very disappointing!
The buck on the left, out of the 3 in this photo:
(Ignore the prickets).
Ruby Tuesday 2
Well-Known Member
An imbalance of male to female in fallow is what we should aim for . There are way to many breeding females already.
First full season on this ground so seeing all type of ages
Could not tell so they get the "all does pass" bucks we in the next field (shot 2)
Seen this group in good light, same thing.
Enigma41a
Active Member
It's the other way around here.. males hammered by poachers leaving way too many to does.
Enigma41a
Active Member
I've never seen a female of any species mounted .. yet.
Go on a club 18/30 holiday before you miss out...I've never seen a female of any species mounted .. yet.
paulbshooting
Well-Known Member
To answer your question, little or no risk in the rut. I would cull it as must be better about. Poaching, road kills and other factors will impact on your local population and you cant control that.
Enigma41a
Active Member
Too young to be into serious fighting yet . Guess something happened to that one in early growth period? If young bucks are on the plan ? good one to take ! if they are not Leave him be and look at him next year ! Has the owner passed a preference?
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